Redemption - An Undertale Story
by Foxhound3857
Summary: Asriel Dreemurr had just broken the barrier and free'd the entire Underground from their imprisonment. Frisk and all her friends were ready to see the world above, and a happy ending was on the horizon. For Frisk, however, there was still one last friend to SAVE for that ending to be truly happy: Asriel himself. FEMALE FRISK. Heavily inspired by Dreemurr Reborn.
1. Prologue - Endgame

...

 **All due credit is given in the Epilogue**

...

 _In your dreams, magical thoughts_

 _All things are real, unless you dream they're not_

 _In your dreams, love is the plot_

 _Carried on wings of hope_

 _Each of our souls_

 _Intertwine, when we do_

 _Instantly we see it, the time to grow and be it_

 _When everything is pinned on a hope_

 _..._

"Let's see what good your DETERMINATION is against THIS!"

Asriel Dreemurr, the true persona of Flowey, the deceased son of Toriel and Asgore, had only minutes earlier stolen the SOULS of all her friends and every monster in the Underground, restoring his original form and granting him unimaginable power. Asriel had intended to use the SOULs of every monster in the Underground to reset the timeline so that everything could start over, so he could be with his old friend Chara again. Asriel took on the form of a terrifying being, a Hypergod of Death, with massive wings of ever changing colors, spanning his width at least tenfold.

"HAHAHA! BEHOLD MY TRUE POWER!"

 **Asriel unleashes volley after volley of fireballs at Frisk. Frisk is unable to move. HP reduced to 12/20**

Intent on removing the last threat that stood between him and his plans coming to fruition, Frisk was powerless against him, and couldn't even move a muscle. She couldn't reach her save file. She couldn't do anything.

"You'll die here. You'll die alone, and everyone will forget you. Everything you've done, everything you've strived for can be erased. It means NOTHING!"

 **Asriel unleashes volley after volley of fireballs at Frisk. Frisk is unable to move. HP reduced to 08/20)**

But...

 **Maybe with what little power she had left...she could save something else**

Frisk had befriended many monsters on this journey, and had formed a powerful bond with each of them.

Sans.

Papyrus.

Undyne.

Alphys.

Toriel.

Asgore.

And so many more. She could still feel their SOULS within Asriel, reaching out to her.

 **Asriel unleashes fireballs again. Frisk is unable to move. HP reduced to 05/20**

Through sheer DETERMINATION and force of will, Frisk was able to call out to and reach the SOULS of all her friends trapped within Asriel. One by one, she called out to each of them and broke Asriels bind on their will.

Papyrus...

"NO WAIT, YOU'RE MY FRIEND! I COULD NEVER CAPTURE YOU!"

Sans...

"nah, i'm rootin for ya, kid."

Alphys...

"No, that's not true! My friends like me! And I like you too!"

Undyne...

"Well, some humans are okay, I guess!"

Toriel...

"Your fate is up to you now, my child!"

Asgore...

"You are our hope for the future!"

 **Frisk is filled with DETERMINATION. HP FULLY RESTORED. 20/20**

"You're STILL ALIVE!? Come on, GIVE UP! What good is your DETERMINATION NOW!?"

But the SOULS now resonating within Asriel had awoken one more person deep within. Someone who was thought to have been lost long ago.

And with that hope and DETERMINATION, she was able to reach out to that one person.

Asriel himself.

 _Asriel...can you hear me?_

"W-what is this feeling? What did you...NO! I DON'T NEED ANYONE! GET AWAY FROM ME!"

 **Asriel unleashes an enormous torrent of fireballs. Frisk is unable to move. HP reduced to 8/20**

 _I know you're still in there, Asriel. I know there's still good in you._

"DO YOU HEAR ME! I'LL RIP YOU TO PIECES!"

 **Asriel unleashes another barrage of fireballs. Frisk is unable to move. HP reduced to 05/20**

 _Please, Asriel. You can't give up on everyone. Remember what it was like, to feel love? To feel compassion?_

"Chara...don't you know why I keep doing this? Why I'm fighting so hard to keep you around?"

 **Asriel unleashes more fireballs but they fall away without direction. Frisk refuses to move. HP 05/20**

 _It's okay, Asriel. You don't have to fight anymore._

"I'm doing this...because you're special, Chara. You're the only one who understands me. You're the only one who is any fun to play with anymore."

 **Asriel unleashes more fireballs but does not have the will to direct them. Frisk refuses to move. HP 05/20**

 _Come back to us Asriel. Please..._

"...no, that's not the real reason. I'm doing this because...because you're my friend, Chara. Because I care about you, more than anybody in the world."

 **Asriel lacks the will to attack. Frisk refuses to move. HP 05/20**

 _Don't do this, Asriel..._

"...I'm not ready for this to end. I'm not ready for you to leave. I'm not ready to say goodbye to a friend like you again."

 **Asriel begins channeling the full extent of his power**

 _It's okay, Asriel..._

"...So please...STOP doing this..."

 **Asriel raises his arms, ready to attack**

 _It's okay..._

"...AND JUST LET ME WIN!"

 **Asriel focuses all of his power into a prismatic beam of light that engulfs the entire room, centered on Frisk. Frisk is helpless against his onslaught and can only endure. HP reduced to 01/20**

 _It's okay..._

 **HP reduced to 00.90/20**

 _I won't fight back._

 **HP reduced to 00.50/20. Frisk refuses to give up**

"STOP IT!"

 **HP reduced to 00.10/20**

 _It's okay..._

 **HP reduced to 00.01/20**

"STOP IT NOW!"

 **HP reduced to 00.001/20**

 _I'll never give up on you..._

 **HP reduced to 00.0001/20. Frisk barely clings to life**

 _Even if it kills me..._

 **HP reduced to 00.000001/20**

 _I'm not letting go..._

 **HP reduced to 00.0000000001/20**

"Chara..."

 **Asriel finally ceases his attack**

"I'm so alone, Chara..."

 _You're not alone anymore Asriel..."_

"I'm so afraid, Chara..."

 _I'm right here with you Asriel..._

"Chara, I..."

 _Asriel..._

"I..."

And in the end, Frisks unwavering compassion and refusal to give up finally broke through to Asriel.

"I'm...I'm sorry. I'm so sorry..."

In a flash of light, Asriel returned to his original form, the young boss monster whose life had been cut tragically short by the most unfair of circumstances. He looked very similar to Toriel and Asgore, albeit not as defined in his features. He had white fur, big floppy ears, a long snout and a short, fluffy tail. He was almost like a cute goat in some ways, save for his feet which were more like paws, with three furry toes and small claws at the end of each one. He was wearing a long sleeved green and yellow striped shirt and black pants. Unlike his parents, he had no horns on his head. Maybe he would have grown them if he had not died so young all those years ago.

All the anger, all the hate, the rage...there wasn't a trace of any of it on his face anymore. Instead, it was replaced by something much stronger, something wonderful to behold.

Truth.

He finally raised his head, wiping the tears with one of his sleeves, his shining green eyes now staring directly into hers, and he spoke to Frisk.

"I was always a crybaby, wasn't I, Chara?"

Frisk was still weak from Asriel's previous assault, barely able to even stand. It was amazing she was even still alive, let alone conscious. She was bloody, battered, torn, and beaten, as if she had just returned home from a long campaign of endless battle. She could think of nothing to say, because she wasn't the person that Asriel thought she was. She felt awful that he had confused her for someone else this whole time.

And he seemed to realize it now.

"...No, I know. You're not Chara, are you? Chara has been gone for a long time..."

Frisk was finally able to speak.

"Asriel..."

He wiped the remaining tears from his eyes, trying to regain his composure.

"Um, if I may ask...what IS your name?"

Frisk could slowly feel her strength returning, and was happy to be able to tell him.

"It's Frisk."

"Frisk? That's...that's a nice name."

Frisk smiled at Asriel. She always thought it was a weird name, a boys name even. It never felt right to her. To hear someone else appreciate it...well, it meant a lot to her.

"Frisk, I...I haven't felt like this in so long."

Now the smile turned to confusion.

"As a flower, I was soulless. I lacked the ability to feel love or compassion. I couldn't feel anything at all, and the only way I knew how to cope was to pretend there was no such thing. Somehow I even convinced myself of that."

The confusion became sadness, and was soon followed by tears of her own.

"...But, with everyones SOULS inside me, I can feel love again. I have my compassion back, because of you."

Frisk raised her head to look at Asriel again.

"And not only that, I can feel every other monsters emotions as well. They all care about each other so much. And most of all, they care about you."

Frisk began calling out to their names.

"Papyrus. Sans. Alphys. Undyne."

And Asriel joined her in doing so.

"...Mom and Dad."

Now THAT was a real heartwarming moment, hearing Asriel call them (Toriel and Asgore) Mom and Dad again. It was wonderful to hear that from him, and she knew, deep down, he really was a kind, loving person at his core.

"...they all really love you. They barely know you too. Monsters are so weird."

Frisk nodded in agreement, hoping not to upset the young prince, who WAS a monster, by all technical aspects of the term. That wasn't true in the slightest of his good nature, though.

"...yeah, they're all special, for lack of a better word, in their own way, and I love them all too. You're special too, Asriel..."

Asriel seemed to perk up at that comment.

"Haha...s-stop, you're making me blush."

It was all she wanted, to see him be happy. There was a truth on his face that nothing could tarnish, and she saw that same truth on all her friends faces before she bonded with them. They were monsters, but they weren't really monsters to her. None of them. And this was so much stronger.

But the happy look on Asriels face was replaced with one of shame and regret. It was painful for Frisk to see, all the more so because it was genuine.

"Frisk, I...I understand if you hate me. I understand if you can't forgive me for what I've done. I've caused so much pain. I've hurt so many people. Friends, family, innocent bystanders..."

Frisk simply stood and waited, letting Asriel get it all out.

"...but most of all, I hurt you, Frisk. I almost killed you in my anger. You were only trying to help everyone...only trying to help me. There's no excuse for what I've done."

He looked down at his feet and started crying again, ashamed of himself. He couldn't blame Frisk for being angry, for hating him...but Frisk didn't hate him. She moved closer to him and took his furry hands into her own. They were still damp with his tears.

"It's okay, Asriel. I forgive you."

A second later the smile came back on Asriel.

"I...t-t-thank you Frisk. T-that means the world to me, coming from you."

But Asriel knew he there was still one thing left to be done.

"But...I can't keep these SOULS inside of me. Your friends deserve to be happy, and so do you. I can feel them all inside me right now. They're all burning with the same desire. They all have the same dream, and right now it's resonating as one."

Asriel closed his eyes and slowly rose into the air. Frisk backed away slowly, not knowing what he was about to do.

"It's time for monsters...to finally go free."

And not even a second later, the SOULS of every monster in the Underground gathered around the young prince and shone with light. The light grew brighter and brighter, and Frisk had to put her hands up to shield her eyes from being blinded.

And in an instant, the blinding light was replaced with a sound akin to something large and powerful being shattered. And she knew.

 **The Barrier was destroyed**

The light faded, and Asriel slowly descended, his furry white paws finally touching down on solid ground. He opened his eyes, looking content, as if he had at long last made peace with himself for setting things right.

"It's done."

He said.

He looked into Frisks eyes. Frisk was ready to bring him back with her, to be with their friends, to be his friend and go to the surface together.

But Asriels selfless act of atonement came at a high price.

"I...I have to go, Frisk."

Her joyful expression melted in an instant and was replaced with a look of utter heartbreak.

"W...why?"

Asriel was looking down again. He looked ashamed again, but not the same kind of shame, not for regret over his actions. This time, because he knew it would crush her to find out the truth, and he had to tell her anyway.

"Without a SOUL of my own, I can't maintain this form..."

Frisk didn't know what to say. The feeling of despair sank in just a little more.

"...In a little while, I'll go back to being a flower again. I won't be able to feel love or compassion again."

"Asriel..."

Asriel looked at Frisk again, and the pain in his eyes said everything to her.

"...It's best if you just forget about me, okay? You should go and be with your friends."

Frisk's gazed turned downward now too. She felt terrible, completely dejected, and began to walk away...

...and then stopped herself.

"...I won't forget you, Asriel."

She said as she turned around and ran up to Asriel, hugging him as tight as she could.

"ACK!"

"You're my friend too, and you always will be."

Asriel responded by returning the hug, gripping the back of her shirt so tightly that his claws ripped into the fabric. After everything he had done to her, to hear her call him a friend...now he knew why the others loved her so much. And that's exactly what he was feeling for her in this moment.

"I...I don't want to let go, Frisk."

But he knew he had to. It was an indeterminable amount of time, perhaps hours, perhaps only minutes. But he knew it would happen eventually, and he didn't want Frisk, or anyone else to be there to see it. He couldn't bear to put anyone through that kind of pain, least of all his parents, or the new friend he had just made.

They maintained the embrace for a few more seconds before letting go, Asriel now taking Frisks hands into his own. They were warm, and gave her great comfort.

"You're wonderful, Frisk. You're going to do a great job out there. No matter what happens, your friends will always be there for you."

Frisk gave him one more smile and nodded in acknowledgement.

Asriel started walking away. And turned around after a few steps.

"Take care of Mom and Dad for me, okay?"

Asriel gave her one last smile, and a few seconds later, he was walking again.

 _Asriel..._

Frisk wanted to reach out and stop him, but she heard a voice call out to her.

"FRISK!"

And it was so familiar.

"FRISK! WAKE UP, CHILD! PLEASE!"

 _Toriel?_

And then Frisk was walking too. Towards the sound of Toriels voice.

 **...**

"FRISK! WAKE UP! PLEASE!"

It seemed like an eternity had passed before consciousness finally returned to Frisk, though in reality it had only been a few minutes. Relativity can have that effect on people, a pleasant experience can make an hour seem like a minute, while an unpleasant one can make a minute seem like a year. Sans probably knew more about it then most, knowing some of the books he possessed on the subject of physics. Frisk would have to remind herself to ask him about that in the future.

She finally opened her eyes, still a little weak from her encounter with Asriel, though sporting none of her physical injuries from the battle. Her exhaustion now was almost purely mental. She struggled to pull herself to her feet.

And to her surprise, she was surrounded by all of her dear friends.

Sans, Papyrus, Undyne, Alphys, Toriel, and even Asgore were all there, all with smiles and relief that their friend had finally regained consciousness.

Frisk smiled and renounced her joy at seeing everyone.

"You're all here! I missed you all so much!"

In an instant, Toriel dropped to her knees and gave Frisk the biggest hug she could muster. Frisk buried her face into the fabric of Toriels robes.

"Oh, Frisk! We were so worried. We thought you were..."

 _Wait, how did they know my name? Asriel...?_

Alphys was the next one to respond.

"Yeah! You had us all so concerned!"

Undyne was next.

"Warn us next time you decide to take a nap, okay?"

Sans chimed in next, and couldn't resist the urge to take a cheap shot at his brother, who was clearly the most emotionally devastated of the group.

"yeah, you even made papyrus cry."

Papyrus slammed his foot down in anger and shot his brother a dirty look.

"I'M NOT CRYING! I DON'T CRY! I JUST CAUGHT SOMETHING IN MY EYE!"

"oh, really? what did you catch, exactly?"

"TEARS!"

Everyone laughed, even Frisk. Papyrus seemed antagonized at first but eventually started laughing with everyone.

Asgore finally spoke up, annoyed by everyones nonsense.

"That's enough, everyone. The important thing is that Frisk is okay."

"Yes, that is all that matters."

Toriel responded.

"And it seems the barrier is gone as well. I don't know how or why, but...we can leave for the outside world whenever we like."

Frisk gave a cheerful smile, her eyes still in narrow slits as they always were.

"I'm just so glad to see you all again!"

It was the only response Frisk could think of, still bound in Toriels loving embrace.

Toriel finally let go and stood, suddenly seeming confused.

"What exactly DID happen though? All I remember is a flower, and then everything went white. And then...you were unconscious on the floor."

Undyne shook her head in agreement.

"Yeah, that's all I remember too. That's one hell of a coincidence."

Sans shrugged, and turned to Frisk.

"do you know anything about it?"

Frisk was unsure how to respond. What she really wanted to do at that moment was tell them everything that had happened, but she knew it would only cause more pain if she did. It was a difficult thing to do, but she knew that, at least for now, she had to keep it to herself.

"...No, I have no idea."

Everyone looked around at each other, not sure of what to make of the situation, shaking their heads. Toriel spoke up once more.

"Well, let it be a mystery then. I think we're all just about ready to leave this place and see what the world above is like."

"are we all ready to go then?"

Sans inquired. Frisk looked around and shook her head, seeming worried. She knew she couldn't leave yet. Not until...

"Frisk? Are you okay?"

Toriel put a gentle hand of Frisks shoulder.

"Y...yeah. I guess I'm just surprised that it's almost over..."

Frisk was never any good at hiding her feelings and she was sure everyone could tell how uncomfortable she was. It made it all the more difficult to deal with because she couldn't tell everyone WHY she was feeling this way, even though saying nothing might worry everyone more.

Toriel noticed this and spoke up for her, although she was not aware of what Frisk was REALLY worried about, and did not attempt to press the matter any further, to Frisks relief.

"We don't have to leave right away. There's still time. Perhaps you would like to spend a little time with each of the wonderful friends you've made on this journey before we go."

Sans was quick with the sarcasm, as usual.

"hard to imagine she considers us all 'friends' after what we've done."

Undyne nodded at Sans.

"Yeah, I think we've all tried to kill her at least once today."

Alphys objected to their assertions.

"I-I never tried to hurt her!"

Surprisingly, Papyrus had an immediate response to that.

"YOUR DUMB ROBOT DID! NYEH, GUILT BY ASSOCIATION!"

That was actually sarcasm on Papyrus part. For whatever reason, Papyrus had a deep infatuation with Mettaton, even calling him a 'sexy rectangle' at some point. Alphys took his statement literally though, probably as intended.

Alphys angrily snapped at him for that remark.

"METTATON IS NOT DUMB YOU BONEHEAD!"

Sans smirked at that comment.

"hah, the puns sound better coming from her."

Papyrus slammed his foot down again.

"BOTH OF YOU, SHUT UP!"

Frisk gave a genuine laugh and smile, and everyone immediately ceased their bickering in response. They were all still themselves, in every sense of the word. Nothing had changed with them, and Frisk wouldn't have it any other way. She spoke up for everyone at that moment.

"It's okay, everyone. You're all wonderful."

And everyone smiled at Frisk as well.

"I just wish that..."

Frisk knew she shouldn't have said anything more. She wasn't any good at lying, and she wasn't good at keeping secrets or controlling her emotions either. Not that anyone would really expect that from a child, even one as unique as Frisk, or that one should even HAVE to in normal circumstances, but circumstances were obviously not anything even remotely normal.

Toriel picked up on this and looked down at Frisk, concerned.

"Hmm? What is it Frisk?"

Frisk shook her head, feeling silly for even bringing it up.

"It's nothing."

Toriel still looked concerned, but thankfully didn't press the matter.

"Well...if you're sure."

Asgore spoke up once more.

"We're all here for you, Frisk. Spend some time with your friends and take care of whatever else needs to be done. When you're ready, we will all be here."

Frisk nodded and waved to everyone before walking off, Asgores last words weighing heavy in her mind as she walked past the throne room.

 _Whatever else needs to be done..._

If only it were that simple.


	2. Chapter 1 - Reflection

_At least there's elevators..._

Unware of how long she had been walking or where she was even going, Frisk eventually found herself in the lobby of the MTT Hotel. It was here that Frisk learned of Sans past relationship with Toriel, or rather, in the restaurant nearby, when she was asked to dinner by Sans. Sans had confessed everything at that point, why he was following Frisk, the promise he made to Toriel to watch over any human in the Underground. She always wondered why he never attacked her at any moment on her journey. He probably wouldn't have attacked her anyway even without the promise, knowing Sans, but it meant a lot to Frisk that Toriel cared so much, even after Frisk had hurt her feelings, wanting to leave the Ruins instead of staying with her, to more or less be a guardian angel, watching over Frisk through it all.

Everything seemed as if it was drawing to a close. Asriel had been redeemed and forgiven. The barrier was broken and all the monsters in the Underground were free to leave at any time. All of Frisks friends were alive and well, waiting for her to return so they could go to the surface together and feel the sunlight of the overworld for the first time. It was almost time for the curtain to rise on this show and only the last leg of the journey remained. However...

 _How many times have I done this now?_

This was not the first time Frisk found herself in this situation. Unsure of why she had this ability, the power to SAVE and RESET the timeline, she made use of it time and time again, saving and resetting, erasing everyones memories and doing everything all over again. She did everything the exact same way, each time, not changing anything. She spared, saved, and befriended everyone countless times, again and again.

Why did she do this so many times? It was not because she wanted to relive all those precious memories again and again (although she made it a point to cherish every moment of it while she could). It was not some twisted form of curiosity to see what would happen if she took a different approach, because she never chose the easy or violent path. She never resorted to violence, except in the confrontation with Asgore, and only because her hand was forced. She firmly believed violence was only ever to be used as a last resort, when there was absolutely no other way.

No, the real reason she kept resetting the timeline was because she was looking for something. Something she thought she missed in every reliving of her adventure underneath the mountain. Something that she thought she would find if she looked just a little harder on the next run.

She was looking for a way to save someone. Someone she cared about dearly. Someone whom, from his own perspective, had only known him for a few moments and didn't think deserved forgiveness or was worth her friendship because of what he had done to her and those she cared about.

But that wasn't true at all. Because through each reset and each reliving of the story, she got to spend a little more time with him. She got to know him a little better each time, and every visit only reaffirmed what she already knew. Behind the facade of hate and anger and lies that 'Flowey' had projected before, there was a person underneath who was full of love and sincerity, and she knew that the real Asriel, having at least temporarily regained his compassion, was utterly incapable of the horrible deeds that 'Flowey' had committed in the past.

And after countless resets, reliving her adventure over and over again, she finally found the answer she was looking for. But the answer she sought was a frightening one, and it left her with even more questions to ponder.

 _Will it work? Will it even be enough to save him?_

 _Will he let me go through with it?_

 _And when the time comes...will I even have the courage to go through with it myself?_

More than anything, it left her afraid, terrified even. Certainly what she was contemplating flirted with the borders of insanity. And honestly, any rational mind would feel that way as well. She knew, going through with it would be, for lack of a better word, suicide. She was mortally terrified, and the fear only served to magnify her confusion.

 _I don't know what to do..._

She thought to herself as she walked past the empty tables of the hotel restaurant.

The restaurant was already closed in preparation for the departure to the surface, and almost all of the patrons had vacated by this point. Not even the waiters, bus boys, or chefs were present anymore. That was fine, she wasn't hungry anyway. She sat down at one of the tables in the back, surprised that the place was so empty already.

 _Wow. Word travels fast here._ _Must be the spiders._

"Or maybe even Sans..."

That thought she spoke aloud to herself, laughing at the idea. Sans was unique among the monsters for his ability to use 'shortcuts'. Somehow he could always get a leg up on everybody and anybody, being somewhere that shouldn't even be physically possible at times. It was all the more amazing to her because Sans didn't even look or seem like the kind of person that could do something like that, much less even care to bother. Looks can be deceiving and all, but there was more to it then that.

And she dismissed that idea immediately, based on the one simple fact that she knew about Sans.

"Nah...he's too lazy to bother doing something like that."

A familiar voice from behind.

"i heard that."

 _Oh no..._

Frisk sighed to herself and looked down.

 _Now I'm gonna get it._

And she looked up.

He was right in front of her now.

She reeled back in surprise.

"How are you always 'THERE!?'"

She put a lot of emphasis on the word 'there.' It drove her nuts, not understanding why he was able to move around in such away and none of the other monsters were.

"when you understand physics, a lot of things become possible."

"Oh, cool. A science lecture from Professor Sans."

Frisk chided with a not so subtle tone of sarcasm. Sans giggled in response.

"no, nothing quite so cool, i'm afraid."

He sat down across from Frisk at the same table. It looked like something was bothering him, which was rare to see from someone like Sans, who was laid back and carefree most of the time.

"hey, frisk..."

 _Why does he do that? He even says names without emphasis on capital letters?_

"Hmm? What's wrong, Sans?"

"we're...we're friends, right?"

Frisk looked a little concerned now, mainly because this sort of question was a bit unusual for Sans. It probably wouldn't have bothered her so much if it was Alphys or any of the others, but for Sans to be asking something like this, something was going on. Where was this coming from?

"i mean...it's hard to imagine that you think of any of us as friends after what we tried to do to you, but..."

 _What the hell?_

The concern had turned into confusion, and Frisk was too dumbfounded to make sense of any of it. This sort of question was completely unlike Sans to even think about, let alone ask.

But Frisk reassured him with a smile.

"Yeah, Sans. Of course we're friends."

Sans paused for a moment, and then nodded at Frisk. But he still had a look of genuine concern on his face.

"so if...if something was going on, if something was bothering you, for example, you would tell me, right?"

Sans was making Frisk very uncomfortable now. Of course, something WAS bothering her and Sans seemed to know it, but she couldn't tell him what it was. She couldn't tell anybody. He was definitely more observant than the others though, so if anyone were to notice Frisks unusual mood, it would be him. Knowing it probably wouldn't work, she tried to play it cool, as if she had no idea what was on his mind.

"Sans, what's up with you?"

"well..."

Sans seemed reluctant to say what was really bothering him. Normally he didn't really care what was going on with other people. That's not to say that he didn't care about people at all, especially his friends, but he usually just minded his own business and didn't burden anyone with his own problems. But now...

"...come on frisk. be straight with me. i know something is eating away at you. your face said it all, right before you left. you were clearly upset, and everyone else saw it too."

Frisk had trouble maintaining eye contact with Sans after hearing that. He was right, after all. But EVERYONE else? Maybe she wasn't giving her friends enough credit.

"...was it really that obvious?"

Now sans leaned forward towards Frisk.

"yeah, it was. look, frisk, normally i wouldn't pry like this, but you've done so much for everyone and...well, i'm just really concerned. if it's something i can help with..."

Frisk was still looking away. She was ashamed to hide something like this from her friends, but she knew it would only cause more pain if she said what was really on her mind.

"...if you did something bad, i won't judge you, at least not this time. i just want to help..."

Now Frisk was looking down.

"No, it's nothing like that, Sans. I just..."

There was a moment of awkward silence between the two.

"if you don't want to say anything, i understand."

Frisk hesitated for a few seconds before looking at Sans again.

"...I can't go to the surface with you guys. Not yet."

The look on Sans face made it clear, that was the very last thing he expected to hear coming from Frisk.

"what do you mean?"

Frisk didn't want to say anything more, it might put everything in jeopardy and worry the others even more, and she knew Sans wouldn't press the matter if she told him to drop it. But it's because she knew Sans and the kind of person he was that she told him. Frisk had a lot of trust in Sans.

"There's still something I have to take care of first. Someone I have to see."

"someone?"

"Yes. A friend."

"does this...'friend' have a name?"

Frisk was even more uncomfortable now.

"Well...yes he does, but I can't tell you what it is. I really can't say anything more, Sans. I'm sorry..."

"so...you can't come with us to the surface yet because you have to go see this friend that none of us know about or have even heard of, that only you know where he is, and you can't tell us who he is, and you don't want anyone else to know or follow you to see him...am i on the right track so far?"

Frisk looked away from Sans now, knowing that he was right, but at the same time that she couldn't say anything more than that.

"...yes, that's right."

Sans looked visibly worried now. Frisk was having a lot of trouble keeping her true feelings in check and Sans picked up on it pretty easily.

"i don't really understand the secret agent nonsense, but...

He stared right into her squinted eyes now.

"frisk...you're not planning anything crazy, are you? there's been enough insanity today already. you almost died earlier, don't forget."

Frisk tried to hold up her hands to reassure him that she wasn't planning anymore crazy nonsense, but it was an immense struggle for her, because what she was now considering WAS crazy, from every logical perspective. But she couldn't let him know that. So she faked her reassuring gesture. She'd take that, if nothing else.

"Of course not. But it's something I need to do and I cannot leave until it's done."

Sans seemed like he wanted to inquire further, he must have been able to tell that she was faking, but as she had assumed and with a huge feeling of relief, he decided not to press the matter. He could tell, this was important to her, whatever it was, and he didn't want to get in the way.

"...alright, frisk. if that's how you feel, i won't ask any more. go and do whatever it is you need to do. go and see this 'friend' of yours."

Frisk looked at Sans again with a smile and a nod.

"but...you might want to go and talk to the others first before you do, just to let them know you're okay. they were pretty concerned when you left. i know toriel would appreciate that, at least. you have no idea how worried she has been ever since you left the ruins."

"Yeah, I think I will do that. I wanted to talk to her about something anyway. Something important."

Frisk stood and started walking towards the lobby of the MTT. Sans nodded in approval.

"well, see you soon then."

And started walking the other way, towards a dead end. Frisk turned around to wave goodbye, and...

He was already gone.

 _How the HELL does he do that!?_

Frisk shrugged, and a few seconds later found herself walking back towards the lobby of the MTT. Her feelings and the decision she was still faced with had not changed from before. She knew there was still time to make the decision, but only so much before fate would eventually decide for her. Sure, she could reset and do everything all over again if she really needed more time to think, but by this point the emotional turmoil of reliving every moment over and over again was too much for her to bear anymore. Not that she didn't cherish every happy memory she made on this journey, but the painful ones were still there and they sank in more and more each time she ran the gauntlet.

No, she knew, if she was going to go through with it, it had to be this time, and it had to be soon.

Frisk decided to take Sans advice and go see her friends again. Maybe it would help her gather her thoughts and make a decision. Maybe it would just make things harder for her, and everyone else. She didn't know. But regardless, she felt like she had to see one other person before doing anything, at least.

The one who silently watched over her all this time.

The one she now called "Mom."


	3. Chapter 2 - Amends

A surprise was waiting for Frisk outside of the restaurant.

"FRISK! There you are!"

Toriel was standing there in the lobby of the hotel, by the 'fountain', if you could even call it that. It was modeled after Mettaton, but the thing was spouting well out of the pool and onto the lobby carpet in front of Frisk. Whether this was intentional or not was unknown but Frisk carefully walked around the soggy carpet to the other side of the fountain, where Toriel was waiting.

"Mom! How did you know where I was?"

A look of surprise and shock came upon Toriels face for a brief moment, followed with a shy smile.

"You...you called me Mom! You really think of me that way after all that has happened?"

Frisk simply smiled back at her. She didn't need to say anything for Toriel to understand. Her face said it all.

"Oh, my child...well I saw Sans a moment ago. He told me you were here. You had been gone a little while and we didn't really know where to look."

 _Had it really been that long?_

The last 24 hours or so, even though it had been FAR more than that in retrospect, had messed with Frisks perceptions of time and the world around her. It couldn't have been more than an hour at most, but...

 _I don't have much time left._

"Y...yeah. No idea what happened. Time flies, huh?"

Toriel nodded.

"Yeah, I know the feeling."

She followed it up almost immediately.

"Well, then. Shall we go join the others?"

Frisk hesitated upon hearing the question.

"Um...Mom..."

Toriel looked a little concerned now. Frisk was terrible at bringing things up without getting everyone else worried.

 _Ugh. I've got to do a better job of hiding my feelings._

But in truth, that's one of the things that made Frisk so special. She was so open with herself, so honest, and no doubt that's one of the many things everyone liked about her so much. That kind of quality was rare in anybody, human or monster, and it did her great credit at times.

It wasn't helping this time though. Toriel picked up on it immediately.

"What is it Frisk? Are you okay?"

 _Come on, Frisk. Don't lose it now._

"...Do you want to go for a walk outside the hotel? Just the two of us?"

Toriel gave Frisk a curious look at first, but it soon turned to cheer. Neither one of them really had much of a chance to get to know each other throughout this adventure, after all. This was a pleasant chance for the two of them to catch up.

"That sounds very nice, Frisk. Let's go then."

And they left through the front doors of the MTT, hand in hand.

The outside courtyard of the MTT was considerably warmer than the interior, which wasn't a surprise considering that the MTT was established in Hotland territory, the hottest place in all of the Underground.

 _Sure wish I was wearing a short sleeve right now._

A thought Frisk would probably regret in Snowdin.

They walked hand in hand towards the overlook, seeing over much of the Hotlands. There really wasn't that much to see, it was mostly rock and magma with some rudimentary wooden bridges and paths. The CORE was the most ominous sight from Frisks earlier journey through the Hotlands, but that was pretty much where they stood now, and about the only notable area that was even visible from here was Alphys Lab. Maybe she was on her way there now, picking up some research notes or other scientific things.

 _Or her Anime..._

Frisk had to stifle a burst of laughter from that thought. There was something more important on her mind at the moment.

"So, um..."

Toriel looked at Frisk now, who was leaning with her back against the overlook railing.

"...I know this probably isn't the most happy topic, but...do you remember when we first met?"

Toriel gave Frisk a nod before sitting on the nearby bench.

"Of course I do. It was only a day ago, after all."

"Right. Sorry."

All these resets had really messed with Frisks sense of time, but it also felt like she had known Toriel much longer as a result.

"Hehe, it's alright. Well, I was heading into the ruins to tend to the...well, the flowers. Someone has to, after all. And..."

Toriel gestured with a wave of her arm, as if setting the scene.

"...and there you were. Just laying there."

 _Wait, what happened to her memory of my encounter with Flowey? Asriel...again?_

"You were so lost and didn't seem to know where you were or what you were doing. So I guided you through the ruins and brought you home with me."

Frisk nodded.

"Yeah, I never would have been able to figure out any of those puzzles without you."

That, of course, was a lie, but if Toriel was aware of it, she gave no indication.

"You even gave me a cell phone to communicate with you."

She pulled the cell phone out of her napsack to show Toriel.

"Oh, those phone calls. In hindsight, I think I may have called you a bit too much at first, but I shouldn't have left you alone so long when I went to run my errands. You even called me 'Mom' for the first time too. I didn't know how to react to that, it was so out of the blue, so I just went along with it."

Toriel smiled, reflecting on what Frisk was openly calling her now.

"But hearing you call me that now, after everything...oh, you don't know how happy that makes me, Frisk."

Frisk was blushing a little bit, shyly kicking the dirt beneath her. The first time Frisk called Toriel by that name was more of a joke than anything, pointing out the way Toriel treated her when they first met. But now, having spent so much time with Toriel, accumulated over numerous resets, Frisk felt so much closer to Toriel than ever before. In reality, Toriel was now the closest thing to a mother that Frisk had, the relationship the two of them shared, so Frisk embraced it for what it was. It brought the two of them even closer together...

...and made what was coming even more difficult to face.

"Well, anyway, when we got home, you were so enthusiatic, you investigated every inch of the house, every last nook and cranny. I practically had to pull you off the walls. I even made you my specialty when we got home, but you had worn yourself out and fallen asleep before it was finished. I didn't want to wake you at the time so I just left it on the floor."

She suddenly remembered. The pie.

"Oh yeah!"

Frisk pulled out the leftover Snail Pie from her napsack to show Toriel. Though it was big enough to feed at least three people at first, there wasn't much left of it, but the plastic wrap was still intact, keeping the pie fresh, and what left was still enough for one person.

"Oh, you ate that much of it? Even though you didn't like it?"

Frisk reeled back in surprise.

"Y-you knew!?"

Toriel smirked.

"The face you made just now as you looked at it."

 _Damn it..._

Frisk felt guilty for trying to hide it, but she felt worse for being open to Toriel about it, knowing how much it could hurt her feelings. But Toriel responded with genuine amusement.

"I think it was very nice of you to do something like that just to please me. Now I know not to make it for you in the future, but...thank you for making me feel appreciated. It means a lot to me."

Hearing that put another smile on Frisks face, but it wasn't to last for very long.

"Hehe, yeah, I was so happy, and you seemed to be too. But then..."

Frisk became curious when Toriel suddenly stopped herself, as if she was embarrassed herself or something.

"What is it?"

"Well...you wanted to leave."

Now Frisk walked over to the bench and sat next to Toriel. This was obviously a difficult topic for Toriel and Frisk was starting to regret even bringing it up in the first place, opening old wounds, but she had to let Toriel have her moment of catharsis.

"I was just so...I can't even describe what I was feeling. I thought I had found someone I loved again, someone I could take care of. I thought I was being given another chance, and everything was great for a while."

 _Another chance?_

Toriel looked happy for a moment, but her look of joy sooned turned to pain as she now began to recall the more painful moments of their first meeting.

"But, when you wanted to know...when you asked me how to leave the Ruins, I..."

And suddenly Frisk felt a heavy wave of guilt and regret.

"I just didn't know what to do or say. I didn't want to let you go. I wanted to lock you in your room and keep you here forever. I even thought about destroying the only way out. I wanted to protect you, keep you safe, no matter what it took..."

Toriel brought herself to look at Frisk now, and it was so difficult for Frisk to maintain eye contact, because the pain she saw in Toriels eyes was real, and Frisk was the one responsible for it.

"...but I knew this wasn't your home and you wouldn't be happy here if I forced you to stay against your will. I knew you had to find your own way...so I let you go."

Now Frisk was finally able to speak up and reassure Toriel, taking her much larger furry hands into her own.

"I know. Sans told me everything, how you made him promise to look after me. I..."

Toriel looked ashamed again and started crying.

"I'm sorry, Frisk. I was so cold to you when you left, telling you not to come back. I just...I've lost one child before...TWO, in fact."

 _Two?_

Immediately Frisks reassuring expression crumbled, flashing a look of heartbreak in its place, because she knew exactly who Toriel was talking about now, and it was something she couldn't bring up for fear of causing more pain if she did. She simply let Toriel continue talking.

"I couldn't bear to lose another. I just couldn't go through that kind of pain again. That's why I told you not to come back..."

 _Mom..._

Toriel looked away from Frisk again.

"...but I couldn't just let you fend for yourself out there, and...well, it was more then just Sans. I still kept in contact with you on your phone, or at least I tried to."

Now Frisk looked very surprised.

"Wait, you did? I never received any calls from you since I left."

"Well, Sans taught me how to send text messages. I was too ashamed to call you directly so I sent texts instead, hoping that you were still alright, hoping you might respond. But you never did. I figured you didn't want anything to do with me by then..."

Frisk sheepishly checked her inbox, and sure enough, there they were, dozens of text messages from Toriel. She opened the first one on the list:

 **Dear Frisk,**

 **Sans and Alphys are teaching me how to text. I am learning so much. For example: Do you know what a "smiley" is? Please look at this.**

 **]: )**

 **Now turn your head to the left.**

 **It is a picture of me smiling at you! Can you see it?**

 **L-O-L! (That stands for Lots Of Laughter.)**

 **Sincerely,**

 **Toriel**

Frisk was laughing hysterically after reading the message.

"Hahahaha, wow. I can't believe I didn't see any of these."

But the laughter soon turned to pain, brought about by her own recollection of past events. And she said the only thing she could think of at that moment.

"I...I'm sorry, Mom."

Toriel gave Frisk a smile now.

"It's alright, at least I know now that you weren't ignoring me. I'm happy with that."

But Frisk wasn't. And she couldn't let it stay like that.

"...no, I mean I'm sorry about everything, the way I treated you. When you first found me and brought me home, I was just so confused about my situation, where I was, what had happened, I didn't know how to make any sense of it. It was all so sudden. You were only trying to help me. You opened you heart and your home to me and I threw it back in your face without even thinking about your feelings and how it might affect you..."

Toriel was floored at this point.

"Frisk..."

Frisk looked away now, utterly ashamed of herself.

"...when you told me not to come back, I didn't know what to think. I had no idea where I was going, no idea what I was doing, and I suddenly felt so alone. That was when I first met Sans, and he guided me from that point on as I started meeting more monsters, some of which were very hostile to me at first, but all of which I'm happy to call my friends now."

Frisk suddenly had a look of fear, contemplating the other possible outcome.

"But I wonder if things would have been different if I had never met you."

Toriel cocked her head in confusion, hesitant to inquire further.

"What do you mean?"

Frisk smiled at Toriel, shedding a few tears in the process.

"I think...it's at least partly because of you, the love and care you showed me in our short time together, that gave me the hope and the strength to make it this far. But even worse, I fear I would have done something terrible by now if it wasn't for you..."

Toriel was on her knees now, shedding tears of her own.

"Come here, Frisk..."

Toriel opened her arms, beckoning Frisk over for a hug, which Frisk happily accepted without reservation, clinging her little arms around Toriels neck as her mothers arms closed in around her. It felt so warm, so full of love, like when they first met.

"I was with you this whole time, Frisk. You were never alone."

"I know. I didn't then, but I know now."

Frisk said, and her tears were starting to soak a little into the fabric Toriel's robes now.

"I just...thank you so much!"

Toriel held Frisk even tighter now.

"You've made me so happy, Frisk. I don't deserve a wonderful friend like you."

"Yes you do!"

Frisk responded in sharp protest to that statement.

"You all deserve to be happy!"

 _And so does he._

Frisk finally pulled away from Toriel, not really wanting to let go, but she knew there was still one thing left to do before this show could hit the road, and she was happy to have made peace with the one person she needed to first.

 _...I've made up my mind._

Toriel wiped her tears away with one sleeve, and then Frisks tears with the other.

"Well then, our friends are waiting, Frisk. Are you ready to go yet?"

Frisk smiled, but shook her head.

"Not yet, Mom. There's one last thing I have to do before I can leave. Something very important to me."

Toriel nodded.

"I see."

Now Frisk looked down, not sure of what more she could say to Toriel without making her suspicious. But this was her last chance, so...

"I may be gone for a while, so please don't worry about me. I'll be back soon."

That was another lie, at least to a certain extent, but it was a necessary one to keep everyone from worrying more. Toriel kissed her forehead.

"Take as long as you need, my child. We will be here when you return."

Frisk nodded and began to walk off. And she stopped after a few seconds.

And almost immediately turned around and ran back towards Toriel, whom was still on her knees, reaching her tiny arms as far around Toriel as she could.

"I love you Mom."

Toriel returned the hug tenfold. Neither of them were crying anymore.

"I love you too, Frisk, with all my heart. And that will never change, no matter what."

They broke the embrace, and Toriel took Frisks hands into her own, giving them a gentle pat for reassurance.

"Now, off you go Frisk. We'll be waiting for you when you get back."

Frisk smiled and nodded, and without a word more, she set off, looking back one more time to wave at Toriel, who responded with a wave and a smile of her own, before finally starting down the rocky path.

 _Just hold on, Asriel. I'm on my way._

To the elevator leading back to Alphys Lab. To the River Ferry.

"To Snowdin."


	4. Chapter 3 - Intervention

_Wait, my clothes are...oh crap._

Before long, the River Ferry had reached its destination and Frisk disembarked on the north side of Snowdin Town. Strangely, the Ferry still worked without any Ferryman to operate it, no doubt the work of magic again. Like many of the Undergrounds inhabitants, he must have made for the surface already.

The frigid drop in temperature hit Frisk fast and hard. If anything, the change in climate coming from Waterfall to Snowdin was even worse than Hotland. Wet clothes in a frosty place like Snowdin made for one very cold Frisk before long, and she was shivering within seconds. She reflected back on an earlier thought that crossed her mind in Hotland, now of a different tune.

 _On second thought, definitely glad I have the long sleeve._

Not perfect, but better than nothing. Frisk knew she was getting closer now and picked up the pace, both because she knew time was running out and because staying in motion would help her body keep warm. The way forward was south, past the large black dog monster chucking blocks of ice from the conveyor belt...

...only he wasn't there anymore.

 _I guess the CORE doesn't need cooling anymore...sure hope the place doesn't explode without all that ice._

It wasn't long before Frisk found herself in Snowdin Village, housing the major establishments of the region it was named after. Dogamy and Dogaressa were probably still in Grillbys, practicing for the likely-now-defunct Nose Nuzzling Championship, defunct at least for the Underground. Frisk wondered if those two still carried their axes now that there was no real need for the Royal Guard. Those two were especially memorable to Frisk for being some of the first monsters she befriended, but mostly for the weird way in which she had to do it.

 _Rolling in the dirt. Dogs petting other dogs. What a strange world._

Though the memories were pleasant to recall, there were other, not so pleasant memories from her first visit as well. Tired from the long journey since leaving the Ruins, Frisk chose to spend a night at the Inn, for a ridiculous rate of 80g, almost all of her money at that point. In the end, she only stayed about two minutes, noting that the tenants in the room next door were snoring too loud for her to sleep. Thankfully, she got a full refund, the concierge noting that she looked like she got quite the nap in those two minutes.

 _Must be my eyes..._

Putting the memories aside, Frisk had no business in the village or the time to visit anyone, and simply kept walking past everything, leaving the village through the west entrance, leading to Snowdin road.

The path was fairly straightforward for the most part, but the puzzles Frisk had solved before brought back some irksome memories, especially the ones involving turning X's to O's.

 _How many times did I slide off the last one?_

And with that thought, Frisk also wondered if Papyrus and Sans snowy replicas were still there...or whatever it was that Sans had made. It was nothing more than a lump of snow in Frisks eyes, and given Sans laziness, maybe that's all it was to him too.

There were many landmarks on the way in the form of little hou...no, that's not accurate. Not houses or even homes, even though that was their main purpose, more like little vendor shacks that belonged to Snowdins various inhabitants. They weren't even well sheltered from the cold, but seeing as so many of the monsters either had fur or didn't have any skin to worry about, Frisk wondered if that was even a problem for most of the Snowdin population.

Dogamy and Dogaressas shacks, or houses, or whatever the hell they were, were on the way, both of which had signs on the front which simply said 'His' and 'Hers.' And soon Doggos shack came into view as well, belonging to the almost blind dog monster who could only see moving objects. Sans could probably make an entire day out of pranking Doggo because of that, but Frisk felt bad for the poor canine and couldn't imagine having to go through life without being able to see.

Frisk heard movement from behind. She turned on a dime.

"Is somebody there?"

 **But nobody came**

She scanned her surroundings but noticed nothing unusual.

Frisk turned again, shrugging it off as nothing. Maybe a branch collapsed and fell into the snow or something.

Before long Frisk reached a telltale fork in the road. The "box lovers" box was still there, along with its foreshadowing sign, and further down the North path Frisk could see the fishing rod still anchored to the edge of the water. Frisk remembered using the rod the first time she was here, and it pulled up a photo of a monster along with their phone number and the note "Call me!". She never did call them, but the number was still attached to the fishing line.

 _I wonder if someone would answer if I were to dial that number now._

Frisk was curious to see what would come up this time if she cast the line into the water again, but time was short and Frisk knew that this particular juncture was very close to her destination. She continued down the West path, and before long a familiar sight came into view. The place where she met Sans and saw Papyrus for the first time after leaving the Ruins.

First it was the conveniently shaped Lamp that was PERFECTLY shaped like Frisk if she stood behind it at a certain angle, and in fact allowed her to hide and evade capture from her first encounter with Papyrus. Then...

 _The bridge! Almost there now..._

And suddenly Frisk heard another noise from behind. Again she spun around to see.

There was nothing.

 _What's going on here?_

But there was something familiar about it. It felt like...

And then it hit her. This wasn't the first time she had felt like someone was following her before. Frisk was in this exact same position many times throughout this adventure, and it was always...

And she suddenly wondered why she didn't pick up on it before.

"Sans. I know you're there."

Frisk turned around again, certain that he would be there.

And he was, hands in his pockets, playing it off as if nothing was going on.

"you're good. most people are too clueless to notice when someone is following them, but you even knew who it was. bravo, frisk."

Frisk suddenly felt a little bit annoyed. How long had Sans been following her? WHY was he following her to begin with? She didn't want anyone to know where she was going, something she had made quite clear when they last spoke, and now here he was, tailing her so close to her destination.

"Why are you here, Sans?"

Frisk said, not sounding quite as irritated as she felt.

"just felt like going out for a walk."

Sans said. His hands were still in the pockets of his jacket and his eyes were 'closed', something that was hard to tell at first because of the exposed sockets. You sort of just had to pick up on it.

"A walk? Just where I happen to be at? Where I happen to be going? Cut the crap, Sans. You've been tailing me for a while, I know. I just didn't pick up on it right away."

Sans opened his eyes and looked at Frisk now, and shrugged.

"damn. i'm losing it. guess i'll have to try harder next time."

Frisk was getting pissed at this point. She didn't know why Sans was following her and she didn't care. There was a far more pressing matter to attend to at the moment.

"Look Sans, whatever this is, I don't have time for it. I've got to hurry."

She made for the bridge, pushing past Sans, not even trying to hide her frustration.

But just before she reached the first wooden plank of the bridge...

"afraid the dead prince won't be there if you're late?"

Frisk felt an icy chill run down her spine and she froze in her tracks as soon as the last word left Sans mouth.

 _He...he knows! HOW IN THE HELL!?_

"yeah, i know who you're going to see, frisk. i know who your 'friend' is. took me a while to piece it together too."

Frisk turned to Sans now, the icy chill making her feel completely numb. She could barely lift a finger.

"...How?"

Sans had his hands in his pockets again. He moved a little closer to Frisk.

"it's my job, frisk. i've pretty much tailed you on every step of your journey."

Frisk said nothing, still numb.

"i've been watching you this whole time. every encounter, every friend you ever made down here, i witnessed from the shadows. i made a promise to look out for you, remember?"

Frisk recalled the promise he talked about, the one he made to Toriel. She had only been talking about it moments ago with Toriel herself

"I remember."

"so when you said 'I still have someone I need to see.', i was initially thrown off. i thought, 'wait, i've seen every friend she's made down here. who the hell was she talking about?' and i was completely dumbfounded at first."

Frisk was still unable to move. Her will to act had been completely sapped by Sans staggering revelation.

"and then it hit me. the way you were acting after you regained consciousness, how worried you were. how you didn't want to say anything when i asked if you knew what was going on. i didn't understand why at first, but now i do. it's so clear. you know exactly what's going on, you know who broke the barrier, because you've already met him. and if you know who it is and wouldn't tell us, that means 'they' don't want us to know who they are. and there's only one reason i can think of why that would be the case."

Frisk was finally able to speak.

"And that is?"

"maybe because they are already dead, and it would only cause more pain if they were to suddenly reappear now."

"He's still alive! Don't say that about him!"

Frisk shouted defiantly. Sans shrugged again...

...and then he realized who it really was. Toriel mentioned it earlier but wasn't aware of what it really meant, but Sans knew, because he had seen it once before, or rather, someone else had. Papyrus had once before told him about...

"now i understand. the flower, the one that was talking to my brother a while back, the one that toriel mentioned. it was him all along. but, how...?"

He shook his head. It didn't matter how, what mattered was what Frisk was planning at this moment. She could not hide her feelings. Her expression told Sans everything he needed to know.

"no, it doesn't matter how. i don't even want to know."

Sans was deep in thought, as if it pained him to have to say what was about to follow.

"he died a long time ago, frisk. if he is indeed who i think he is, the flower...i dont know when or how he obtained that vessel, but his original body turned to dust when he died, and his SOUL vanished along with it. but you know this already, don't you? you've read the placards around waterfall. you know what happens to a monsters SOUL when they die. even a boss monsters SOUL can only persist outside the body for so long, a few minutes at most."

Frisk was unable to respond again. Sans was right, about all of it, and he knew it now. The look on Frisk's face told him everything he needed to know. She spoke out now, and what she said next took Sans by surprise.

"Yes, I do know. You're right. But it won't be that way for much longer. I am going to save him."

Now Sans was the one reeling in surprise.

"save him?"

"Yes. I know what I have to do now. It took so long to find the answer, but..."

Sans was momentarily confused.

"so long to find the answer...?"

And instantly Sans was struck by a moment of clarity.

"...aha, so that's the reason. that's why you reset the timeline so many times."

Now Frisk was the one reeling in surprise.

 _...Is this guy clairvoyant or something?_

"YOU KNEW ABOUT THAT TOO!?"

Sans crossed his arms in disappointment.

"you're not giving me enough credit, frisk. i told you, this is my job."

Frisk looked down now. She knew she was about to get a mouthful from Sans. And boy was that the right word for it.

"i've known since the first time it happened. i can't remember much of anything from the last reset, but i'm aware of WHEN it happens, nevertheless. my initial thinking when you first reset the timeline was 'she's just like all the others, can't help herself, has to see what will happen if she does things differently.' i think you know what i mean by that."

 _All the others?_

Did the other kids have this power too? Was he talking about Flowey? Frisk wondered, but said nothing.

"...but i was wrong in that assumption. you did everything the exact same way. you saved and spared everyone again. and again, and again, and again, and again, over and over. i couldn't figure out your angle, i thought it was some sort of sycophantic drive that led you to keep reliving the same scenario over and over, because i saw how much you cherished the happy moments every time you relived them. but i saw something else at the time too. "

Frisk still said nothing. Big words were being flaunted here, but Frisk was wise beyond her years, a product of reliving everything so many times. Still, she really didn't know what to say.

"i thought about stopping you because i thought what you were doing was cruel, forcing everyone to relive that grim experience over and over, but i did nothing. i SHOULD have stopped you, to be honest. that's my job. but i couldn't do it. i was never able to bring myself to hurt HIM when HE kept resetting the timeline, and i'm well aware of what HE did each time, so how could i ever bring myself to hurt YOU, even if toriel never swore me to that oath? i'm just not that kind of person..."

"Sans..."

"...so i did nothing. i let this hellish nightmare unfold over and over again, because i saw how happy they were, your friends, when you bonded with them, even as you did it again and again. even i felt that happiness, again and again. but more than that, i could see it was hurting you as well, on a deeper level, each time you ran the circuit again. and i thought 'why would she keep putting herself through this if it was causing her so much pain on the inside?'"

Now Frisk looked at Sans again.

"but i see now what was really happening. you kept resetting because you were looking for something. you were looking for an answer. a way to 'save' him."

Frisk finally spoke up, acknowledging everything Sans had said.

"Yes, and now I know how..."

But Sans mocked her, looking down towards the snow, his arms still crossed.

"it's impossible, frisk. he has been dead for a long time. his SOUL is gone. the flower, what remains of him now, what you know him as, is nothing but an empty husk."

"DON'T SAY THAT ABOUT HIM! IT'S NOT TRUE!"

Frisk shouted in defiance. Sans never even raised his voice.

"frisk, stop, please. i want him back too. you don't know how it was when he died. you weren't around back then. everyone lost hope, EVERYONE, even me. it broke his parents in every way imaginable."

What he just said indicated that he was much older than he looked. Frisk couldn't put that possibility past him since he obviously knew far more than anybody else about...well, everything. It was incredibly suspicious, even if it was 'his job.' Suddenly she wondered how old Papyrus really was too, and Alphys and Undyne as well. Did monsters age the same way as humans?

But furthermore...

 _They lost TWO children, actually. Wasn't he aware of Chara too?_

"none of us can ever even begin to understand their pain. you've seen how it affected toriel and asgore already. they don't even AGE anymore. can you imagine what that feels like? a parent having to live on forever without their child? i would never even bring his name up in front of them, knowing how much it would hurt, forcing them to relive those memories. no parent should ever have to outlive their child."

"I know...I saw it in their eyes."

"then believe me when I say, nothing would make them more happy than to see him again, but his SOUL is gone, frisk. it's gone."

Frisk clenched her fists in defiance, breaking her gaze with Sans.

"there is nothing you can do, frisk. no way to save him, short of you going back in time, or maybe even giving him your own S..."

...

And suddenly Sans looked up towards Frisk, who was staring down at the snow herself now, her fists still clenched tight, unwilling to make eye contact.

"...no, it can't be. you CAN'T be considering..."

She looked at Sans again, and her face said it all.

Sans took a step forward now, shaking a bony fist at Frisk.

"YOU'RE INSANE, FRISK!"

"You can't spell Frisk without ' **risk** ', Sans. Remember?"

Frisk muttered under her breath, making a poor attempt at humor. Her pun fell on deaf and angry ear sockets.

"DON'T MAKE JOKES ABOUT THIS, FRISK! THIS IS YOUR LIFE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT! YOU CAN'T BE SERIOUS ABOUT THIS!"

"I can and I am. If this is the only way then so be it."

Frisk was speaking with a level of certainty and confidence that she had thought herself incapable of considering the decision she was faced with. She liked how she was thinking at this moment. Sans, however, was the one in a panic now, and he made no effort to hide it.

"I KNEW IT! i knew something was wrong the moment you regained consciousness at new home, REALLY wrong. i felt it even when we talked things over the first time in the mtt, and even when you took that walk with toriel. i knew you were crazy frisk, you have to be to do the things you've done, but i never, in my wildest dreams, imagined that you would be considering something like this. IT'S SUICIDE, FRISK!"

"Sans..."

Frisk tried to reach out to him, but he backed away from her. He was clearly upset at Frisk for even thinking about doing such a thing, but he was more upset at himself, perhaps for not seeing it sooner.

"it uh...it all makes sense now. that walk you took with toriel, makings amends with her, everything that was said. it was more than that, wasn't it?...it was 'goodbye.' you knew it was your last chance, the last time you would see her."

"So you were eavesdropping there too, huh?"

Now Sans was staring at Frisk again, and she expected him to flash a look of anger and disappointment, and it might have made things a little easier if he had.

Instead, his face held the look of desperation.

"frisk...you've done so much for everyone already. you've made so many friends down here. think about all the people that would mourn you if you did this. all the people that would be heartbroken to lose you now. you would really do that to them?"

Frisk shed a few tears upon hearing that. It made her feel even colder in Snowdins frosty climate.

"I am thinking about them, Sans. You don't know how hard it was for me to come to this decision."

"THEN DON'T DO THIS, FRISK!"

He screamed in raging protest.

"you've done so much for everyone already. you DO NOT need to throw your life away to save one more person!"

"Yes, I do Sans. I have to do this."

Sans stood his ground, adamantly refusing that answer.

"but why, frisk? WHY!?"

Now Frisk took a step forward to Sans, who gave just the slightest flinch in response.

 _Was he afraid that I might hurt him?_

It was hard for Frisk to imagine what exactly Sans was feeling at that moment, and she wonders how she herself would feel if this scenario were playing itself out the other way around. But Frisk was utterly incapable of doing such a thing willingly and would never hurt anyone, not unless she were forced to. Violence was only a last resort in Frisks eyes.

Instead, she took one of Sans bony hands into her own and gave it a gentle pat, and he seemed to relax a little bit. But only a little.

"Asriel felt the love you all had for me when I confronted him. It helped him to regain his own ability to feel love for others, and it was because of this that he was willing to give up everything, EVERYTHING, to make sure everyone went free, knowing he would be doomed to a fate worse than death for doing so. An empty existence where he would be unable to feel love or compassion for anyone or anything for eternity. And he still did it anyway. That's why I have to do this, Sans..."

Sans didn't move or give any change of expression.

"...why?"

"Because he's the same as me."

"...what do you mean?"

She smiled now.

"That little furball has had it worse than anyone and he was still willing to give it all up, his chance at happiness, for us. So we could have OUR happy ending. And all he ever wanted was his friend back, to not be alone. It's why he did what he did in the first place..."

Sans said nothing.

"...no, why FLOWEY did what he did. Those things were not Asriels fault. They are not the same person, and I don't hold Asriel accountable for the things that Flowey did. I can't let it end like that for him. I won't. He deserves better than that, a chance at his own happiness. And Asgore and Toriel deserve a chance to see him and share in that happiness with him, to have their son back, to be free of this torment."

There was even more to it then that, but Frisk felt no need to say anything more. Maybe it would have made things a little easier if she did.

Sans backed away again, clearly unsure of what he should do, knowing full well that his friend was about to do what Asriel had done hours earlier, give up everything for the sake of another.

"and you think they won't be in torment to lose you now? you're basically trading one hell for another...the pain of losing YOU."

Frisk looked away from Sans again. She knew what he was telling her was right, but still...

"you don't even know if this will work. you're throwing your life away on a dice roll, frisk. you may not even be able to reset again if you go through with it."

Sans wasn't aware that Asriel already had his body back, albeit temporarily. That's why Frisk was so pressed for time. Frisk gave Sans a sheepish smile, knowing that he was conveying a very realistic possibility. But she didn't care.

"You're right, I don't know if it will work. It could all be for nothing. But...there HAS to be a reason why I was given this power. Maybe this is it. I have to try, Sans. I'm NOT going to give up on him now. He needs me...and I need him."

Sans wouldn't let up.

"and what if he doesn't want it? what if he won't let you go through with it? what if he doesn't even want to see you?"

Frisk hesitated for a moment, the weight of Sans words causing her substantial worry. What if he was right about this too? What if Asriel didn't want anything to do with her this time. He hadn't turned her away yet, but still...

Frisk shrugged it off. Even if that were the case, so what? She wasn't about to let that possibility stop her. She wasn't going to give up now.

"I'll worry about that when I get there."

Sans was completely dejected by this point.

"you're really going to do this, frisk?"

Frisk calmly responded without reservation.

"I am."

Sans pulled away from now Frisk now, into a pose looking like he was ready to fight, his hands now at his sides, clenched into bony fists again. Suddenly one of his eyes lit up, glowing a bright blue. And that meant...

"...and what if i tried to stop you? right here, right now? i could knock your looney ass unconscious and carry you out of this damned mountain myself. that's what i SHOULD do..."

Frisk steeled herself upon hearing that. She didn't want to fight Sans, she didn't want to fight anybody. Violence was a last resort in Frisks eyes, but she would use it if she was left with no other choice, and at this moment it seemed as if it was going to be the only option.

However...

"...but i'm not going to."

"Huh?"

The glow from his eye faded. Frisk relaxed her guard a little now. Sans looked away, his hands in his pockets again, sighing heavily.

"...i really don't understand what possessed you to make such an insane decision, but you obviously feel very strongly about it. if i were to stop you now, i wouldn't be able to live with myself, being the one who stood in your way when you were trying to save the life of someone you loved, doing what you feel is right. i may be a monster, but i'm not a MONSTER."

Frisk cocked her head, but Sans wasn't finished.

...you've prepared yourself for the consequences of what you're about to do, so the only thing left is for me to do the same. i'm not going to get in your way."

"Sans..."

"besides, i don't want to get chewed out by toriel for giving you a black eye."

Frisk howled with laughter at that remark and took another step towards Sans. She wanted to just divebomb into the pudgy skeleton and hug him with all the force she could muster, although he probably wouldn't think much of it, he just wasn't that kind of guy. And she probably would have done so right there.

Except...

"Footsteps?"

Frisk spoke aloud, looking past Sans.

The pugdy skeleton turned on a dime, in the direction the noise came from.

"it's toriel. she caught up quickly. i hope she didn't hear that."

"What!?"

Frisk sounded surprised.

"What's Mom doing here?"

"she was really concerned about you after you left the hotel to come here. she asked me to keep an eye on you and make sure you were safe. that's partly why i was following you to begin with. i didn't think she'd come all this way though."

Frisk started panicking, not sure what to do.

"i'll distract her and buy you some time. hurry, go and see him. you don't have much time left."

Frisk hesitated for a few seconds, but brought herself back into focus.

"A...alright. Thank you, Sans. For everything."

She started walking the other way, across the bridge. And when she was halfway across...

"Sans."

She turned back to the pudgy skeleton, who turned to her in response.

"...Promise me something."

Sans hesitated at first, as this sort of thing was clearly not in his character, and he admitted as much in the past.

"...i don't like making promises, frisk."

Frisk looked dejected, but she couldn't exactly blame Sans for feeling that way. She had no right to ask anything of him at this point.

"...what is it?"

She quickly snapped her head at Sans, the feeling of dejection turning to optimism.

"...if this works, watch over him for me, okay? This is my choice, and I don't want anyone to get the wrong idea about him. Please, don't judge him for the things he did as Flowey. They weren't his fault. Look out for him, and make sure everyone else understands when it's all said and done. Can you do that for me?"

Sans shrugged, sighing to himself.

"...you don't make things easy, do you? alright, frisk. i know what hes done, but if YOU can forgive him, i don't see how i can't. i'll watch out for him, i promise."

Frisk nodded.

"Thank you, Sans. Take care of yourself too."

Sans nodded and turned back towards a fast approaching Toriel. Frisk slipped away before she came in view, across the bridge, towards the Ruins.

To the place where it all began.


	5. Chapter 4 - A Second Chance

Frisk was completely exhausted from the journey. It was quite a long hike making it back to the Ruins all the way from New Home, even with the ferry shortcuts. The Underground was a lot bigger than it seemed, the way forward or back was often convoluted and roundabout and the constant change in environment was wearing on her physically, especially the transition from Waterfall to Snowdin.

But she was fine with that, it gave her time to think about what she was planning to do. She knew what she was going to do, she knew how to actually do it, but she didn't know how to approach him about the matter. How was she going bring it up? Would he be willing to go through with it at all? What if he didn't even want to see her this time? Those thoughts, and Sans voice giving them force, weighed heavily on her mind even now.

And what if she suddenly lost her nerve and tried to back out at the last second. It pained her to consider that possibility was still in the cards, but the thought scared her so much that she had serious doubts about herself and her own resolve. The thought rattled around in her head like loose change the whole way, leaving her with a sense of tangible dread.

But she also remembered who it was for, what it meant for that person.

And it filled her with **DETERMINATION**.

 _I only hope I'm not too late..._

Frisk finally ascended the stairs into Toriels house. It wasn't much farther to the place she was going, only a few minutes away, in fact. The puzzles that would normally impede her progress had already been solved so it was more or less a straight shot at this point. But Frisk felt like she needed to take care of one final matter first.

The living room was empty and dark now, the fireplace having died long ago, now nothing but spent embers and ancient ash. The light switch still worked when flicked on, however, and Frisk sat at the large table near the back wall. Now in front of her was a piece of simple stationary and an envelope in which to put the flimsy parchment in. With pencil in hand, Frisk began writing a letter...more like a will, considering what was soon to come. She was pressed for time and made it a point to hurry, but by the same token put as much care as she possibly could into it.

When she was finished, she folded the stationary and slid it in the envelope, sealing it with the adhesive of her own saliva. On the front she simply wrote 'To Mom', not addressing who it was from or what its contents were. Then she slipped it into her napsack, pushed the chair back underneath the table and turned the light off, leaving everything else as it was. She left through the front door.

The Ruins were definitely more straightforward than any other area in the Underground, and there wasn't much to see or do as a result. About the only room that required a roundabout approach was the one where the only other way out was separated by a wall, forcing Frisk to fall through the weakened spots in the floor, into a chamber beneath the room, with staircases leading up to either side. For the most part though, the puzzles were simple and all of them had already been dealt with, so there was nothing to really impede Frisks progress on the way there.

The spiders that were holding a bake sale were not far from here, and although Frisk had no time to visit, it was unlikely they were still there anyway.

 _Hopefully Muffet raised enough money to get them out._

Soon Frisk came upon the room with the bowl of monster candy and the note that said 'take one.' Frisk felt a little guilty about that now, having taken four pieces at the time, and still had three left. It was a silly gesture because it was unlikely anyone would come back for it, but Frisk took a moment to replace the extra candy she took, depositing the three that she did not eat. Feeling better about herself, she pressed on.

Before long, Frisk came upon the first puzzles she encountered in the Ruins, the ones that Toriel had taught her how to deal with, and the dummy that Toriel used to teach Frisk how to converse with monsters. Her anxiety magnified severely, knowing that she was so close.

Finally, she reached the double staircase leading down to the other exit of the Ruins, and after passing the patch of grass just beyond, the one where she first met 'Flowey'...him...she at last had reached her destination. First it was a long hall, and then the hall opened up into a little cavern. Inside this cavern was a golden flower bed, above which was the hole she fell through at the beginning of this whole adventure. Sunlight was still filtering down through the hole onto the flower bed below, giving their yellow petals an almost luminescent glow.

And there he was.

Asriel Dreemurr, the son of Toriel and Asgore, the young boss monster whom she battled over for time and space, the one who only hours ago sacrificed everything to break the barrier and set the Underground free, was kneeling in the bed of flowers, tending to them carefully. "Someone has to," he would say, just like his mother. He still looked as he did before they parted ways earlier, his younger self, wearing the same striped green and yellow long sleeved shirt and dark pants. His furry hands and paws were slightly muddy from the flower soil, as were his clothes. He was facing away from Frisk, and didn't seem to notice her presence.

She ducked around the corner of the entrance and went into her napsack, rummaging through all of her belongings as quietly as she could. So many odd trinkets she had collected on this journey. Finally she came out with two objects. One was the heart locket she picked up from New Home, something she knew belonged to him because of the photo inside, the one of Asriel and another child, and the engraving.

 **Best Friends Forever: A + C**

Chara, it had to be. It went into her pocket.

The other object was what was left of the Snail Pie that Toriel had baked for her at the onset of this adventure, a taste she had to struggle to acquire. She ate it more out of necessity rather than desire, and although she had told Toriel as much earlier, she still felt bad for being unable to appreciate what she was sure was a 'delicacy' to her, and probably Asriel too. The leftovers were still big enough for one person, though. Frisk quickly cleaned the fork it came with, using the plastic wrap as a makeshift napkin.

 _Here goes..._

With the pie in hand, she slowly approached a distracted Asriel.

Asriel was still kneeling down, still facing away from Frisk. His gaze was drawn to the flowers beneath him, knowing that he was soon to become one again. He was looking at his hand, the white fur glistening in the filtered sunlight beaming down through the hole, and he seemed to be deep in thought. Frisk could hear Asriel talking to himself as she moved closer.

"I wonder what they're doing at this moment. Hopefully everyone has left for the surface by now. The sun must feel wonderful."

 _Asriel...it does. It really does._

A noise from behind.

"Hmm?"

Asriels floppy ears picked up on Frisks footsteps quite easily. He turned around to see a familiar face...

 _What if Sans was right? What if he really doesn't want to see me?_

"Frisk!? It's you!"

Asriel shouted with a gleeful smile, erasing some of Frisks earlier worries.

"Y...yeah, I came to keep you company."

He was clearly happy now. Nobody even knew he existed at this moment, and she only knew because she had visited him before, on previous resets. And it had been hours since their confrontation, their battle for control over the timeline. He had thought for sure that they would have made for the surface by now. Though deep down he really didn't want to see anyone, he WAS happy to see Frisk, and he let it show. At least Sans was wrong on one count.

"How did you know I was here though?"

Frisk didn't want to immediately let on how she knew.

"I...just had a feeling."

Asriel gave her a smile, not sarcastic or condescending like Papyrus or Sans, nor was it sheepish or meek like Alphys. This was genuine, and it cheered her up a little bit, even more so after what Asriel said next.

"Well, I don't know how you found me, but...I'm glad you did!"

Frisk returned the smile with interest, her eyes still in narrow slits like always. The difference in demeanor between Asriel and Flowey was night and day.

"Yeah, me too."

She sat down in the flowers beside Asriel, with the last slice of Snail Pie still in hand.

"Here, I saved this for you."

Asriels eyes widened and his smile became bigger.

"From Mom? You kept a slice for me? T...thank you!"

Asriel took the fork in hand and carved into the pie without hesitation. As Frisk thought, he loved Toriels 'specialty', even though she could never acquire the taste for it. He even offered her some, which she refused. The look on her face told Asriel everything.

"Don't like it, huh? You humans have weird tastes."

"Really!?"

She inquired, bewildered by the statement Asriel had just made.

"You monsters eat snails and WE'RE the ones with weird tastes?"

She wasn't trying to come off as offensive, but she couldn't blame Asriel if he took it that way.

He didn't, though. He simply giggled, and Frisk soon followed suit. The giggles turned into full blown laughter before long, the both of them nearly falling over in their hysteria.

"Hahahaha...well, maybe we do have weird tastes. We're certainly more picky than monsters from what I've seen."

Asriel flashed her a look of curiosity.

"But you ate most of it anyway."

Frisk shook her head and shrugged.

"Beggers can't be choosers, right? I ate what I had and I was grateful for it."

Asriel smiled at that thought, and turned his attention back to the pie. Frisk scooted a little closer to Asriel now, and after taking another bite, he brought up a question, one that had apparently been on his mind for some time.

"Hey Frisk, can I ask you something?"

His gaze was now drawn towards the hole above.

"Sure."

"Do you...remember why you came to the Underground?"

Frisk, not fully understanding the question, inquired further.

"What do you mean?"

Asriel elaborated.

"Well...you know the legend of Mount Ebott, right? They say that anyone that tries to go up the mountain is never heard from again. They never come back down."

Frisk thought for a moment before responding.

"I do know the legend, but...I don't really remember where I might have heard it. Must have been a long time ago."

Asriel looked directly into Frisks eyes before asking again.

"So, why did you come anyway, if you were aware of the legends? Was it fate, were you just being foolish, or was it..."

The smile left Asriels face, as if he felt guilty about asking. Frisk was confused and struggled to give an answer, but only because she genuinely didn't remember.

"I'm sorry, Frisk. I didn't mean to upset you. Forget I asked."

Asriel looked away from her, embarrassed for even asking such a silly question, but Frisk simply smiled at Asriel, whom took notice from the corner of his eye, putting him at ease.

"No, no, it's okay Asriel. I'm not upset. It's just...I don't really remember why I came. Honestly I don't even remember the fall, the climb, or the events that led up to it, now that I think about it. I don't even remember anything about my parents or my life before falling down the hole. It's...kind of scary."

"You...don't even remember your parents?"

Asriel asked tentatively, now looking directly at Frisk, and the tone in his voice made it clear that he suddenly felt terrible for her, even in his current predicament. At least he knew who his parents were and what kind of people they were.

"Yeah..."

Frisk replied with disappointment and even a sense of longing.

"I thought I might remember something about my past if I just gave myself time to recover, but nothing ever came back to me. I'm sure they were very nice people, and I'm sure they were good to me. After all, I seemed to turn out okay. I just wish I had something to remind me of them. A photo, a letter, a trinket, anything..."

Asriel put a free arm around Frisk now and pulled her a little closer to him, gently squeezing her shoulder with his hand and resting his head on her other shoulder. As bad as things were for him at the moment, he at least knew who his parents were and held on to their good memories and the fact that they were still alive and well. But to not have any memories of your family or past at all, not knowing who you really are, he couldn't imagine what that felt like.

Frisk put her other hand over Asriels, the one holding her closer to him, and gave it a reassuring pat.

"It's okay, Asriel. I've made so many wonderful friends down here, they're kind of like my family now. Including you. I can be happy with that, if nothing else."

She turned to look at Asriel now, her gaze locked with his.

"It doesn't matter what my reason was before, even if it was a less than happy one. What matters is that it happened, and I got to meet all of you as a result. So something good came of it, and I'm happy for that."

Asriel nodded and finally let go, turning his attention back to the last bite of pie.

"Yeah! Me too!"

Asriel said reassuringly.

"I can't believe either of us are saying that after everything you went through, too."

He finished the last of the pie and offered back the plate and fork.

"Thank you Frisk. Haven't had a slice of that stuff in a LONG time."

Frisk took the plate from Asriels hands, setting it aside. She gave him another smile in response.

"Heh, you're welcome."

Suddenly, she remembered the other thing she brought with her.

"OH! I almost forgot!"

Frisk stood and fished her hand into her pockets.

"Hold out your hand, Asriel."

He stood as well, opening his right hand and held it out towards Frisk as she dug around in her pocket, trying to fetch the other item she came with while Asriel watched in confusion.

She finally pulled out the heart locket she picked up from New Home, the one she figured belonged to Asriel once upon a time. She was holding it by its beady golden chain and carefully dropped the red heart attached to it into Asriels waiting hand, the chain falling into his palm with it.

"This is..."

Frisk nodded.

"I picked it up at New Home some time ago. I figured it belongs to you because of the engraving. It protected me, made me feel safe when everything seemed hopelessly lost. I wanted you to have it back."

Asriel was crying now and had to wipe away a few tears, but the smile on his face told Frisk that he wasn't upset or sad.

"It...was hers, actually. I wasn't wearing mine on that day, it's probably still in my room somewhere. But still..."

He gingerly put the locket around his neck, setting the chain carefully, and cupped it in his hand once it was secure.

Then he divebombed into Frisk, hugging her as tight as he could. Her arms were partially pinned and she could only get so much leverage to return the hug, burying her face into Asriels shoulder to return the show of affection instead.

"Thank you so much Frisk."

Frisk smiled and nodded in return, still bound in Asriels iron grip, her voice slightly muffled through the fabric of Asriels shirt.

"Don't mention it!"

Asriel finally let go. Frisk took a deep breath, clearly having been caught by surprise.

"Heh, sorry."

Asriel apologized sheepishly, unaware of his own strength apparently. Frisk reassured him with a silly grin.

"Don't worry about it! I've been getting those all day. Feels just like Toriels hugs, maybe even better."

Asriel grinned cheerfully, and he clearly knew about those better than Frisk.

"Haha, yeah, Mom does give the best hugs!"

Now Asriel looked away for a brief moment before speaking again, the tone in his voice now giving off a feeling of despair. He could feel a telltale tingling in his body now, a static twinge in his fingers and toes. He didn't have much time left.

"I can feel it. My power is fading. It won't be long now..."

In an instant, the smile on Frisks face melted. Was this really how it was going to end?

"Asriel..."

Asriel looked at Frisk again, and she could see the pain and sadness in his eyes again. He was truly frightened, and made little effort to hide it. He sat down in the flower bed again, arms wrapped around his legs, fingers interlocked, one paw on top of the other.

"Can I...confess something to you Frisk?

"Sure."

Frisk took a seat next to him again. If she could do nothing else, she was happy to listen to whatever her friend had to say if it would make him feel even a little better.

But the look of sadness on Asriels face now turned to shame.

"All those horrible things I did...It's strange. I did them because I wanted my friend back. Because I wanted Chara back. I didn't care what the cost was, I was willing to pay any price, go any length to get her back."

Frisk maintained eye contact with Asriel, not saying a word.

"But...I don't think Chara would have wanted that if she was really my friend. I love Chara, but in truth, she was not a very nice person. She hated humanity, for reasons I'll probably never understand. She'd be so upset with me, hearing me talk about her like this..."

Frisk said nothing, continuing to listen instead.

"When I absorbed her SOUL after she died, we went to the surface together. Her last wish was to see the golden flowers of the village near the surface, but she still wanted to go through with our original plan, to steal six more human SOULs to break the barrier. And when I carried her body to the village, to the flower bed in the center, the people assumed I was the one who killed her and they attacked me."

"Chara wanted me to fight back, to use my power to kill them, but I...I couldn't bring myself to do it. I fled, taking everything they had to throw at me, and eventually I made it back to the Underground, but my injuries were grave, and...well, I think you know what happened then."

"Asriel..."

It was all that Frisk could manage. She had actually heard this before, but that didn't make it any easier to listen to. She let him continue, though. He needed this.

"...the truth was, it was all Chara. She shared control of my body when I absorbed her SOUL. She was the one who carried her own body across the barrier to the village. And she was the one who wanted to kill the humans using our full power...but I just couldn't bring myself to do it. I resisted, I turned away, and I...WE paid the price for it."

Frisk still couldn't say anything. Her emotions were a complete train wreck, but she had to be strong now. Asriel needed to get everything off his shoulders if he was to ever have any peace of mind.

"All this time I've been trying so hard to get her back, so we could go back to the way things were. Some semblance of the happy memories we shared so long ago."

Asriel looked down at the flowers again, clearly ashamed of himself.

"But, the truth is...she's gone. She died a long time ago, and so did I. And I never accepted it...until now."

Frisk spoke up now to correct him, because that wasn't completely true, at least not in a spiritual sense.

"She's not gone, Asriel. Not really. She lives on now, in your memory of her. As long as you don't forget about her, as long as you hold on to her memory, she's always with you..."

Frisk had a lot of trouble saying what she did, but even worse, she had trouble believing it. Frisk had never lost someone so important to her, at least not that she could recall from what was left of her fragmented memory, so it was kind of foolhardy to try and relate to Asriel on such a touchy subject, having nothing to really connect it to herself. And she couldn't blame him if he took it the wrong way.

But he didn't.

"Y...yeah, you're right. She's right here, with me."

He clutched at his locket, holding it closer to him.

His gaze was still focused downward, though. There was so much pain and sadness in his eyes, so much shame. It was an enormous challenge, attempting to face up to what he did, but he knew he had to do it if he wanted any closure, and Frisk forced herself to be strong for him in this moment.

"I...I've done such terrible things, Frisk. I was trapped in that hollow shell called Flowey for so long, and I adopted a horrible philosophy of the world. Kill, or be killed. I thought it was the only way. I nearly sacrificed everything to get what I wanted, without ever giving a single thought to the consequences of my actions. I hurt so many people in the process. Papyrus, Sans, Alphys, Undyne...Mom and Dad."

He turned to face her again, but his gaze was still focused downward, ashamed to look at her directly.

"But most of all, I hurt you. My foolish actions almost cost you your life. I was so blind, so stupid, and all this time I thought violence was the only way..."

"Asriel...it wasn't your fault. What you did as Flowey was NOT your fault. I know with all my heart, you never would have done those things as Flowey if you had retained your ability to feel love in that form. I'm certain of that."

She said, taking his furry hands into her own. He finally looked directly at her again.

"...you're probably right. But regardless, it doesn't absolve me of responsibility."

A feeling of peace came over Asriel now, and he finally let a smile take shape on his emotionally weathered face.

"What I DO know is...after meeting you, after everything you've done for me, I don't harbor those horrible feelings anymore. You're...you're incredible, Frisk. You sacrificed, you endured, you never gave up no matter how bad things got. And when given the chance for revenge, you chose to forgive instead. You were willing to give up everything to make sure others were happy...even your own life."

He still wasn't finished. Frisk began to cry, not out of sadness but out of joy, hearing Asriel say something so kind about her. Asriel could see it in her eyes and smiled again in response.

"You're the friend that I always wanted, Frisk. You gave me back something when I needed it most...a second chance. You gave me the opportunity to set things right with the little time I have remaining. You showed me how to feel hope and love again. I haven't felt like that in a long time. Not since..."

He stopped himself, letting that terrible thought trail off. He knew he didn't have to say anymore, and Frisk knew it as well.

"...well, thank you, Frisk. From the bottom of my heart, thank you, for everything. I'll never forget it."

Frisk smiled at Asriel, finally bringing herself to stop crying. The whole time she had never let go of Asriels hands.

He looked up towards the hole, his hands still in Frisks grasp.

"And thank you for listening to me, too. I feel much better getting that all off my shoulders. Looking back, had I actually gone through with it, killed those people in the village, then we would have had to wage war on all of humanity. It cost me my life, not fighting back, but...I don't regret that decision anymore. I did the right thing, and I can be content with that, if nothing else."

The smile was still on Frisks face. She felt happy again, knowing she had given her friend a chance to finally make peace with himself.

Asriel stood up and began to walk away, breaking contact. The tingling sensation from earlier was intensifying now. He had a few minutes left at most, and he knew it.

"Well, my time is almost up."

Frisk stood up as well, and the smile instantly left her face, replaced with a look of despair.

"You should probably go...your friends are waiting for you, and I'm sure you have better things to do."

 _No, I don't have anything better to do..._

Asriel turned to face Frisk, and he had a serene look of resignation on his face, as if he had already accepted what was going to happen to him. Frisk looked directly into his green eyes now, and, if anything, the look on Asriels face now was ten times more painful to see then the one he showed earlier. He already knew. They both did.

"It's alright, Frisk. I know what you came here for, what you were going to ask me. And I appreciate you spending time with me, I really do. But..."

 _Don't say it..._

"...I can't go back like this. I won't."

The look of despair on Frisks face now turned to pure heartbreak. She didn't know how to comfort Asriel. There was nothing she could say or do, nothing she could even think of, because she knew the truth without him even having to say anything. But he did anyway.

"I lost my SOUL a long time ago, it vanished along with my body when I died, and it took so much power, the power of so many SOULs, just to recreate this body. Without at least a SOUL of my own to sustain it, this body won't last...I'll just turn into a flower again. I'll lose everything that makes me who I am, and I..."

 _Asriel..._

"I can't let my parents see that. They lost me once already. I can't break their hearts again by forcing them to lose me a second time. It would be cruel."

Frisk was crying now, unsure of what to do or say.

"It'd be better if they just forgot about me."

Frisk finally spoke up, still looking directly into Asriels eyes, angry at what he had just said.

"NO! That's not true! They love you so much, Asriel! They miss you so much!"

She could barely get a sentence across, her sobbing making it difficult for her to even speak. She couldn't accept what Asriel was saying. She couldn't just let him resign himself to this. Fate was not going to win the day. Not this time.

 _I won't let it end this way...I REFUSE to._

Frisk remembered what she came here for, and she turned away from Asriel for a brief moment.

Now it was Asriel comforting HER, placing a hand on her shoulder.

"I know, and I love them too. I'd give anything to see them one more time if I could do it without causing more pain, but it's okay, Frisk. They have you. I know you'll take good care of them, and all the others too."

Frisk had something cradled in her hands at this point, but was still turned away from Asriel, who couldn't see what it was. He still had his hand on her shoulder. She was still struggling with the enormity of what she was faced with, knowing how close she was to death.

However...

 _I'm not afraid anymore._

She was still facing away from Asriel, still clutching the object she was about to offer up, shaking violently where she stood. He couldn't see it yet, her hands and posture concealed it from his view. He pulled away from her now.

"Just...do me one favor, Frisk."

"Anything..."

"If you...if you decide to come and visit me in the future, after I...well, you know...don't remember me as Flowey. Remember me as I am now. Remember me as Asriel. Someone who got to be your friend for a little while."

Her shaking intensified, as did her sobbing.

"Can you do that for me?"

Frisk could hear him getting choked up, trying to keep his composure.

 **"I've lost one child before...TWO, in fact."**

He was terrified, she could hear it in his voice.

 **"nothing would make them more happy than to see him again"**

He wasn't ready for it to all end.

 **"I just want to see my child again."**

And neither was she. It was enough to give Frisk the last bit of courage she needed.

 **Frisk is filled with DETERMINATION**

"Yeah, I can do that..."

She said, and she turned around to face him again with renewed vigor.

Asriel finally noticed the object in her hands.

"Hmm...what's that?"

And as soon as he realized what it was...

"W-WHAT!? T-T-THAT'S..."

It was Frisks SOUL.

She held out her hands towards Asriel, a perfect beating heart, shining with a soft red glow. She was sobbing almost uncontrollably and shaking almost to the point of collapse, but forced herself to retain control. Asriel was freaking out at this point.

"W-WHAT IS THIS, SOME KIND OF JOKE!?"

Frisks voice nearly failed her again, but she steeled herself and shook her head, speaking clear as day.

"You said you don't have a SOUL anymore, so I want you to have mine."

Asriel was now the one sobbing uncontrollably and shook violently, unsure of what to make of the situation he was now facing. He looked into her eyes now, and what he saw made him certain, this was no joke. She meant what she said. He just stood there, completely dumbfounded, not sure of what to do or say. She was really doing this.

"Frisk, I..."

After a moment, he reached out his hands towards the SOUL Frisk was holding. Frisk almost let another smile creep onto her face despite being faced with what was more or less a death sentence.

But to her surprise, he took her hands into his instead and closed them around the SOUL, pushing it back towards her.

"N-no. I can't. I won't. I won't do that to you."

It fused back into her body, emitting a blinding white glow as it did. Frisk touched a hand to her chest, and now she was the one reeling in surprise, feeling absolutely dejected.

"But...but why!?"

Asriel let another genuine smile creep on his face, completely floored by Frisks infinite generosity. He knew he couldn't let her do this, and he said as much.

"You know why, Frisk. You know I can't accept that. It wouldn't be fair to you. You've already sacrificed so much for me, for everyone."

The smile left Asriels face and was replaced with a look of fear.

"I'd never be able to live with myself if...if I..."

Frisk kept her composure and took Asriels hands into her own again.

"It's okay, Asriel. This is my choice. This was my intention all along."

Asriel looked straight into Frisks eyes, now clearly confused and unsure how to respond.

"WHAT!?"

Frisk responded, and another smile now began to take shape on her face, as she began to recount her past and the journey leading up to this point.

"I've been through this life more times than anyone deserves. So many challenges I've had to overcome, so many adventures I've embarked on over the last 24 hours, so many wonderful memories. I've made so many friends throughout this journey, I'd accomplished so much, and everybody had finally gained their freedom. Everybody was happy. I was content to just leave it at that."

Now Frisks gaze was drawn downward towards the flowers.

"But at the end of it all there was still something missing, something that kept ME from being happy."

Asriel still looked confused.

"What was missing?"

She said...

"You."

Asriels confusion was once again replaced with tears as he reeled back in shock, and he even began to blush.

"M-M-ME!?"

But before he could speak again...

"When I met you for the first time, when I came to visit you, I saw it in your eyes, how much you wanted to live again, how much you wanted to see your parents, your friends...and I just couldn't let it end that way. I just couldn't accept that there was nothing I could do. There had to be another way, something I missed somewhere."

Asriel was in total shock by this point, but Frisk still had more to say.

"And so I reset everything. Again and again. Each time I did I kept thinking there was some detail I overlooked, something that would be different, and I would pick up on it if I looked just a little harder. But every attempt was met with failure. Ten, twenty, fifty runs and countless more, and each one ended in misery. There just didn't seem to be any way to save you, and I was almost ready to give up."

Frisk still had Asriels fuzzy hands in hers, and she finally brought herself to look at him now.

"But with each failure I got to spend a little more time with you, got to know you a little better, until you no longer felt like a stranger to me. You...you became like my best friend, like a brother."

He was still completely dumbfounded.

"B-but I don't remember anything..."

Frisk nodded, not a surprise.

"I know...I erased everyones memories every time I reset, so they wouldn't remember anything from the previous attempt. Even yours. But..."

Knowing exactly what to do, Frisk pulled Asriels hands towards her.

"Close your eyes, Asriel."

Not sure of what was going on, he complied. He closed his eyes.

A few seconds later, he cried out, as if he was being assaulted by some unseen force.

 **Suddenly, the memories came flooding back**

 **...**

 **...**

 **...**

 **"Here, like this."**

 **Asriel was showing Frisk how to tend to the flowers.**

 **"Be careful, they're very delicate."**

 **Frisk nodded and smiled.**

 **"Like this?"**

 **He gave her a thumbs up.**

 **"Yeah, that's perfect!"**

 **...**

 **...**

 **...**

 **"A SOCK COLLECTION!? YOU'RE KIDDING ME!"**

 **"It's true though. I saw it myself."**

 **Asriel shook his head in disbelief.**

 **"Wow, I know some people collect strange things as a hobby, but...WOW."**

 **"I think we know who to blame for that though."**

 **"Sans..."**

 **...**

 **...**

 **...**

 **"I do wish that I could see them again."**

 **"Huh?"**

 **Frisk looked over at him.**

 **"Mom and Dad...I refuse to put them through that pain again, but...I really wish I COULD see them again, just one more time. Even if it's only for a minute or two.**

 **"Asriel..."**

 **"I just...want to tell them how sorry I am...how much I love them."**

 **...**

 **...**

 **...**

"I...I remember!"

Asriel shouted, the memories taking hold of him now, powerful and true.

"I remember everything!"

He took a deep breath and opened his eyes, his gaze meeting with Frisks again. He touched his hand to his heart now, knowing that what he felt now was real.

"You...you really DID come to visit me, again and again. You really did all this for...for me? You really care about me that much?"

She nodded immediately in acknowledgement.

"Of course I do, Asriel! You're my friend too. But...it was going nowhere. I've lost count of how many times I've done this now, hundreds, maybe even thousands of resets. Every attempt ended in failure, no matter how hard I tried. I hated myself so much, Asriel. I made all my friends suffer this horrible nightmare over and over again, and I couldn't even SAVE the one person I cared about the most..."

She broke eye contact with him now, staring down at her own hands, having finally found the answer she was looking for.

"...but I get it now. I finally understand, what I have to do. I honestly wonder now, why I never saw it before. It's funny...at first I was terrified of what I was planning to do. I wasn't even sure if it would work, if it would be enough in the end. Honestly, I still don't know if it will be enough...

She touched a hand to her heart now.

"...but, after spending so much time with you, getting to know you, living through this journey so many times, all the wonderful friends I've made, the memories I've shared...I'm not afraid anymore."

She gazed up at the hole now.

"I wonder what I was ever afraid of to begin with."

Asriel still questioned why Frisk would ever do such a thing for him, feeling utterly ashamed of himself.

"But why, Frisk? I don't deserve it! I hurt you, I hurt everyone you love, over and over again! How could you ever think of giving your SOUL to me!? How could you ever even think to FORGIVE me after everything I've done!?"

Frisk had never let go of Asriels hands, and another smile took form on her face.

"Because I saw the 'real' you."

Asriel looked confused again.

"The...real me?"

"Yeah, the first time I came to visit you, at this very spot, so many resets ago. I saw you for who you really are, and I knew. You're the same as me. Someone who just didn't want to be alone. Someone who just wanted a friend. You're a wonderful person, Asriel, and even if you yourself don't immediately see it, I do. And what you...no, what Flowey did was not your fault, Asriel. It was NOT your fault! You do NOT deserve to suffer an eternity of isolation and misery down here! I am NOT going to let that happen to you! I am NOT going to leave you behind! I **REFUSE** TO!"

"Frisk..."

Frisks expression started to crumble, her lips were quivering and her voice was failing her, but to her surprise Asriel took her hands into his instead, giving them a gentle squeeze. She stared for one quiet moment into Asriels shining green eyes, and his warm gaze gave her a feeling of peace. She brought herself back into focus and continued speaking.

"I...I've had several lifetimes worth of happy memories. It's enough for me, Asriel. You deserve a chance at happiness too."

Asriel finally spoke up, clearly struggling with the prospect of what he was facing. She was making this choice willingly, but Asriel knew what it meant if he let her go through with it, if he actually went along with what she was asking.

"I...I don't think I can bring myself to do it, Frisk. If...if I take your SOUL, then y-y-you'll..."

Frisk was still crying, but didn't let it stop her from saying what she needed to say.

"It's okay, Asriel. Really, it's okay."

He shook his head in disagreement and turned away from her, angry at her for saying such a thing.

"No, it's NOT okay, Frisk! How...how can you be okay with this, knowing what it means for you!?"

She forced herself to stop sobbing for a brief moment so she could speak clearly.

"Asriel...look at me."

It was an enormous challenge just to do that, the emotional pain and shame overwhelming him, but he did. His eyes met with Frisks again. And what he saw was genuine and pure. Frisk was truly unique, unfathomably kind and selfless to the core, completely unlike Chara, and he suddenly wondered why he ever confused the two in the first place. She really WAS the friend he had always wanted.

"I wanted to share so many happy memories with you, all those promises we made, but I was never able to because our time together was always cut short. We were always robbed of that chance by the cruel hands of fate."

Frisk held Asriels hands up higher now, pulling them towards her.

"But if you take this piece of me, if you take my SOUL, then..."

The sobbing intensified.

"...t-then I really CAN share in everything you do! Every adventure, every promise we ever made, every hug, every laugh, every moment, happy or sad...I can share in all of it. And I'll always be right there with you. You'll never be alone."

Asriel was shaking, still unsure of how to respond. Even if it was her choice, even if it was what she truly wanted, he wasn't sure if he could handle being the one who ended her life.

"Frisk..."

Before he could say anything more, Frisk threw her arms around him, taking him by surprise.

"GAH!"

"It's not a happy ending without **_you_**..."

Frisks bawling made it difficult for her to finish speaking, but she kept control through sheer force of will.

"I love you, Asriel! Please, don't make me go on without you... ** _please_**..."

And Asriel suddenly started crying with her. Hesitantly his arms closed around Frisk to return the hug, his claws again digging into the fabric of her shirt. He held her for what seemed like an eternity.

Asriel was being faced with an enormous decision, an impossible one by some standards, and he wasn't sure what to do. He knew that someone was going to get hurt no matter what he decided. Either he accepts Frisks SOUL and moves forward, knowing how much pain it was going to bring her friends to lose her, having to live with himself for taking her life to save his own...or he rejects it and sends Frisk away, breaking her heart and forcing her to leave him behind. In all honesty, Frisk couldn't blame Asriel if he hated her for forcing such a difficult choice on him, the magnitude of the consequences he would be faced with no matter his decision, and her sobbing intensified as she realized just how much pain she was actually causing in her attempt to set things right.

But he didn't hate her. In fact, it was quite the opposite, and it was part of what made this choice so difficult.

"Frisk, I...I..."

 _Tell her!_

"I...I...I love you, too!"

Frisk sobbed even more in response. They maintained the embrace for one long heartfelt moment before Asriel finally looked at Frisk and mustered the will to speak again, taking her hands into his. It was perhaps the most difficult decision he had ever made, knowing what was about to happen as a result, but it was what Frisk truly wanted, to save her friends life, to give him back what had been cruelly snatched away from him so long ago, even if it meant losing her own life in the process. And at long last...

"...a-alright, Frisk. If this is what you really want, I'll...I'll do it. We'll go and see our friends **TOGETHER**."

He touched a hand to his heart, signifying that he had finally made up his mind. He was ready. Frisk nodded with a warm smile, wiping away her tears, and then delivered her final request.

"One last favor?"

"Anything..."

Frisk quickly went into her napsack and pulled out the letter she had written earlier, the one addressed 'To Mom.' She handed it to Asriel.

"Give this to Tori...to Mom when you see her."

Asriel looked at the letter, then at Frisk. He nodded, slipping the envelope into his pocket. She took his hands into hers again.

"Wherever you go, I'll always be by your side, Asriel. Just call out if you ever need me, and I'll be there for you, no matter what."

"Y-you promise?"

"I promise."

They hugged each other one last time, gripping each other as tight as they could, as a brilliant white glow engulfed them.

"Let's go **home** , Asriel."

And in a flash of light, Frisks SOUL left her body, finding a new home within Asriel.

And the two friends were united as one.


	6. Chapter 5 - Redemption

"U...ugh."

Asriel was laying on the hard ground, a few feet away from the bed of flowers. He groaned as he regained his senses, trying to piece together the events that led up to this moment. He was only out for maybe a minute or two, but it felt a lot longer than that.

He groaned still as he slowly pulled himself to his feet, wobbling a little bit from grogginess. And there was something else he was feeling in this moment. Or, rather, something he was NOT feeling anymore.

The tingling sensation from before, it was gone.

"I...I'm still here? I'm still 'me'?"

His memory slammed him out of his fugue, like a speeding vehicle flooring the brakes. He remembered what happened now, and he turned around.

Frisk was laying in the flower bed.

"OH NO! FRISK!"

He sprinted over to her as quickly as he could, picking her up in a fit of hysteria. Her arm hung limp and her head rolled back.

"FRISK, COME ON! SAY SOMETHING! PLEASE!"

He shook her, hoping against hope to beat the odds and get a response.

"FRISK, PLEASE! OPEN YOUR EYES!"

There was nothing but silence. She was gone.

"FRISKKKKKKKKKK!"

Asriel screamed as he stood clutching the corpse of his friend Frisk, who had just done the unthinkable, giving up her own SOUL in the ultimate act of love to save the young prince from a fate worse than death. He was reborn again, given a second chance at life by his new friend, but the cost was very high. He was sobbing, screaming for her, again and again, desperately hoping that Frisk was just unconscious and would open her eyes if he shook her just a little harder.

"PLEASE, FRISK! DON'T GO! DON'T LEAVE ME ALONE AGAIN! STAY WITH ME, FRISK! PLEASE! I CAN'T DO THIS BY MYSELF! I NEED YOU, FRISK! I LOVE YOU, FRISK! PLEASE, COME BACK!"

He shook her again.

"FRISKKKK!"

And again...

"FRISKKKKKKKKKK!"

But to no avail. She was gone. He kept screaming for her anyway, over and over, until his voice finally gave out, becoming nothing more then a whimper.

"Frisk...I'm so sorry! I'M SO SORRY!"

Soon his strength too failed him, and he collapsed to his knees, hugging her lifeless body as tight as he could. Even though it had once seemed like they had only known each other for a few minutes, Asriel now had full recollection of each and every visit by Frisk throughout all the resets, all the time they spent together, the memories they now shared, and he knew that what he now felt for Frisk was real. Their connection was strong and true, a bond that grew over time, little by little, throughout each reset, and the pain Asriel felt now was so much greater because of that. Frisk was no longer some stranger that he had once mistaken for his long lost sibling...she was a true friend, the friend he had always wanted. And now he had lost her too.

His body was wracked with uncontrollable sobbing as he struggled to sort through his grief, the pain of once again losing someone very dear to him. It was her choice, her last wish, for Asriel to have her SOUL so he could live, and he finally accepted it after so much effort on her part to convince him, but...

"I-I'm pathetic...I sold your life to save my own! I'm not the friend you deserved Frisk...I'm...I'm just a selfish coward! I'm NOTHING!"

...none of that made it any easier to cope with what had just happened though, what he had just allowed.

He lowered his head in despair, gently setting Frisks body onto the bed of flowers beneath him. What else could he do?

"Frisk...w-what do I do now? I can't...I can't go on alone..."

He held a hand over his heart, clutching at himself. His pain was as much physical as it was emotional.

 **But somebody came**

His chest shined with a soft scarlet light at that moment.

"...huh?"

Where his heart was. And he knew.

"...no, I'm not alone. You're still there, aren't you Frisk? I can feel you. You're...you're with me, even now."

 **Asriel is filled with DETERMINATION**

Not sure of what he was doing, Asriel carefully arranged Frisks body in the flower bed, laying her arms across her chest. Then he removed his heart locket, the one Frisk brought back to him, the one he said belonged to Chara. He looped it around her neck, placing the heart setting in her lapped hands, and gently kissed her forehead. It wasn't even a fraction of what she deserved, but it was all he could do for her.

"I...I'm sorry Frisk, but 'we' have to go now. 'We're' going **home**."

Asriel stood up now, looking down at Frisks lifeless body, still sobbing heavily, trying to control himself.

"She wouldn't want to see me like this...she would want me to be happy."

Shedding one final tear for his friend, he turned and started walking. Towards the entrance to the Ruins. He stopped one more time to look back, cupping his hands over his heart...

"Frisk...thank you so much for this. I won't waste this gift you've given me. I'll...I'll find a way to make it up to you one day. I promise."

...and continued walking.

But he didn't even make it into the hallway leading to the Ruins, before...

"Long time, no see."

A voice from behind. Sounding so much like Frisk, but...

"FRISK!?"

Asriel turned around.

Frisk was standing there, looking down towards the flowers she loomed over, facing away from him.

"Azzy..."

The voice from earlier sounded so similar, the same octave, the same pitch, almost completely identical. Except...

"No, you're not..."

...the tone was cold and disconnected, completely unlike Frisk.

She turned to face him now, her gaze drawn upwards towards him. And immediately he saw the difference.

Her eyes. They weren't squinted like Frisks always were, but rather wide open. But he had seen it before, this exact look, once upon a time.

"I've missed you, Azzy."

Azzy. A name from long ago, one he loved being called, and only one person used to call him that.

"...Chara?"

She smiled at him now. The exact same smile she used to have. He recognized it immediately.

Asriel charged at Frisks possessed body, divebombing into it. It felt warm and full of life still, even though he knew now that it wasn't Frisks life force he was feeling.

Chara just stood there, unsure how to react. She finally putting a free arm around Asriel and gently pat his head with the other.

"It's hard to believe you still think of me as a friend, after everything I've done."

Asriel stepped back now, chastising her for such a silly statement.

"Of course I do, Chara! I've missed you so much!"

He looked at her with bewilderment now.

"But...why are you inside Frisks body? If you're here, then..."

He tensed involuntarily, but Chara held up her hand to reassure him.

"I don't have much time, Azzy. I can only maintain this link for a few minutes. I just wanted...needed to talk to you."

Chara sat down in the flowers, letting her nimble fingers dance along the delicate golden petals. An apprehensive Asriel sat next to her, careful not to crush any of the fragile buds.

"How is this even possible though?"

Asriel inquired again. Chara didn't give any clear answer before. She now reached for the locket around her neck, holding it close.

"I'll explain everything, but first..."

She looked down towards the flowers now.

"...first I wanted to say that I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"For...everything."

She now looked up towards the hole, her thoughts drifting into painful memory.

"I lied to you, Asriel."

He flashed a look of confusion at Chara.

"About what?

"About everything. Our plan to shatter the barrier so the monsters could go free. What I REALLY wanted back then was to use that power to destroy all of the humans on the surface. I hated humanity so much in those days."

Charas thoughts drifted for a moment, but they could not recall anything. No reason to feel the way she did.

"And the really stupid thing is, I don't even remember why anymore. I don't even remember what they did to me to make me so unhappy, if they did anything at all. I guess I'm like Frisk in that regard, no memory of my past. I mean, my past BEFORE I came to the Underground."

Asriel was shocked to hear this, even though he heard the exact same thing come out of Frisks mouth only moments before.

"Not even of your parents? Your reason for coming here in the first place?"

Chara shook her head.

"Nothing. This must be how Frisk felt. I only know I was unhappy when I first came here, but I don't know why. Maybe the humans never did anything to me. Maybe I was just that way from the beginning."

"Chara..."

She gazed up at the hole again.

"I...my hatred for humanity was so all-consuming back then, it was all that drove me. Even when you and your parents took me as part of your own family, all I could think about was how to hurt the humans, how I could use you all to achieve my own ends..."

Asriel was in tears again, feeling hurt and betrayed by what Chara was now confessing.

"So, you weren't really my...?"

Upon hearing that, Chara immediately snapped her head towards Asriel and interrupted him.

"I didn't mean it like that! I'm sorry. You ARE my best friend Azzy. I don't ever want you to doubt that. You were the only one who I felt ever truly understood me."

Hearing that gave Asriel a little comfort. He felt the same way about her after all. He had told Frisk as much in their earlier clash for the timeline.

"But you have every right to be upset with me. I used you, I used everyone to further my own agenda. The only thing I've ever accomplished was hurting everyone I ever cared about, and I just couldn't ever see past it. I nearly killed Dad when we made that pie for him, using 'buttercups' instead of cups of butter, and I laughed it off at the time, never giving a thought to what I had done. I even poisoned myself so I could use you to slaughter the humans on the surface and take their SOULS. Everything I have ever done has only served to bring pain and misery to those closest to me, and you suffered the worst because of it."

Asriel put a hand over one of Charas now.

"Chara, I just...I never knew how you really felt. Why? Why didn't you ever say anything?"

Chara looked away from Asriel again.

"I could never understand why you or your parents were so nice to me. I was never able to think of a way to say anything, a way to convey my feelings, so I thought it was better not to say anything at all.

She sighed with heavy regret.

"That was wrong, though. The silence only caused my hatred to grow over time, until I could feel nothing else."

He responded immediately, knowing the vibes he was getting from her now was real.

"I...no. I don't believe any of that, Chara. I KNOW you cared. I KNOW you loved us, even if you never knew how to show it. I could feel it then, and I feel it now. Maybe you did hate humanity, but you didn't hate us."

She looked at him with uncertainty.

"How do you know!? I hurt you all so much! How do you know that I didn't do it deliberately?"

He responded calmly and without any resentment.

"Because you're my best friend. Friends understand each other."

She gasped in surprise.

"Azzy...I...T-Then why did I hate humanity so much?"

It was a hard question to respond to, but Asriel made a good attempt at it, giving an answer that was probably true on some level.

"Maybe because you resented them for what they did to us, imprisoning us underneath this mountain for so long. Maybe you did what you did out of love, because you wanted us to be free. Even if you did a poor job of showing it, I feel...no, I KNOW your intentions were good. You messed up bad...WE messed up bad. But I know in my heart that you meant well in the end, Chara."

Now Chara was the one crying, but not for the same reasons as Asriel. She felt so loved in this moment, and she knew she didn't deserve it.

"Azzy...Frisk has rubbed off on you quite a bit, I can see. You're as sweet as ever."

He smiled.

"Yeah. I'm not so sure that's a good thing yet, though. She was a very nice person, but...maybe 'too' nice for her own good. I tried to tell her once, 'not everything can be resolved by being nice. Sometimes you have to be willing to fight.' And she told me..."

"'Maybe, but violence breeds more violence and should only be used as a last resort.'"

Chara said. Asriel flashed her a look of surprise.

"Y-yeah. I guess you were listening. She'd probably hate us for criticizing her, but I can see the wisdom in her words now. I wish I could tell her that."

Chara shook her head again.

"She cares about you so much Azzy. She could never hate you, or anyone else, even me, as much as I may deserve it. It's just not in her nature."

His face still held a look of confusion.

"I still don't understand how you're here though, talking to me right now."

Chara sighed again.

"Yeah, sorry, I got sidetracked. I'll explain."

Asriel rested his hands on his lap now, ready to listen.

"When you carr...I mean, when 'I' carried my lifeless body across the barrier and brought it to the flower bed in the village, and the humans attacked, I wanted to use our combined power to kill them and take their SOULS. Our plan was so close to success, and I thought I was finally going to be satisfied...but instead, you resisted and turned away from them, choosing death instead."

Asriel was lost in thought now, staring down at his paws as he drifted through his own memories.

"When you brought my body back to the Underground, you died shortly after, your body turned to dust, and your...our SOUL lingered for a few moments. Without a body to inhabit, it should have vanished as well, since it can only exist outside of the body for a short period of time. But..."

She reached a hand up to her chest now.

"...but instead, it took refuge in the nearest object it could find. Something that connected us both."

Asriel suddenly looked up, staring at the object around Charas neck, the one that Frisk had returned to Asriel moments before she died.

"Your locket! I always kept mine in the box, but you wore it all the time. You were wearing it that day too."

Chara nodded, clutching at said locket around her neck now.

"Of course I was! You gave it to me as a gift, Azzy. It's very precious to me."

Asriel smiled at that sentiment, but still shrugged in confusion.

"But how?"

"I don't really understand most of it either. I guess my anger was so powerful back then that it allowed me...us, to linger on in this vessel, as a kind of consciousness. It had a long time to fester, and Frisk made it clear to me how powerful emotion can be when it builds. Or maybe it was DETERMINATION, I don't know. Frisk would definitely know about that, she had more of the stuff than anybody."

Asriel suddenly remembered what Frisk said about the locket before she gave it back to him.

"She told me it protected her, made her feel safe when everything seemed hopeless..."

Chara nodded and continued.

"Whatever the reason, our SOULs survived within the locket, lingering on for years and years. It's why I'm able to inhabit this body right now...and it's partly why you're able to retain your form now."

Asriel cocked his head again in confusion.

"What do you mean...?"

He was in for the shock of the century.

"Well, when Frisk brought you the locket earlier, she...hmm, maybe it's better if you see for yourself."

She walked up to him, grabbing both of his hands.

"What are you doing, Chara?"

"Just trust me."

She cupped them together and put them against his chest.

"Now call to it, Azzy."

Not at all sure what he was doing, he followed her direction. He called out to 'it.'

And 'it' came, right out of his chest. A perfect inverted heart, white, pulsing with energy.

"WHAT!?"

His SOUL.

"B-BUT H-H-HOW!?"

"When Frisk brought the locket back to you, our SOULs separated, and yours returned to your body. It was stirred from its slumber when Frisk called out to you during your battle with her, which is what allowed you to 'feel' again, but it was only when Frisk gave the locket back to you, when you touched it with your own hands, that your SOUL was finally able to reintegrate with your body. That was why you reverted back into Flowey during every other attempt, because your SOUL went dormant again, never having had the chance to reconnect with your body. It fell into darkness again, along with mine. But the moment you touched the locket, it was finally able to reunite with your body. It was drawn back to you, like metal to a magnet, even after all this time. And mine is here too."

Chara pulled out her SOUL as well, a perfect red heart, completely identical to Frisks.

"I thought our SOULs were lost forever when we died. Chara, w-we're..."

She nodded again.

"Yeah. We're back. So much time Frisk spent looking for a way to SAVE you, but the truth is, you were with her all along. That was what she really felt, that feeling of peace and safety. It was you, Asriel."

There was one last problem though, one that only Chara knew about.

"Unfortunately, she was right when she expressed concern that her SOUL wasn't going to be enough on its own. While a human SOUL is exponentially more powerful that a monsters SOUL, it was never meant to be compatible with a monsters body. You would have turned back into a flower if it was just her SOUL, and even if it was just another monsters SOUL, but now that you have your own SOUL back, you're **whole** again. You don't have your godly powers anymore, but you don't have to worry about turning back into a flower either."

Asriel started crying again, but it was reinforced with a look of pure joy. If all he needed now was his own SOUL to maintain himself, then maybe...

"R-really? So, that means I can return Frisks SOUL to her and bring her back, and then..."

But Chara turned away again, shamefully, and Asriel suddenly flashed a look of concern.

"What is it? What's wrong?"

"...well, it's not so simple. You can bring Frisk back, you can give her back her SOUL, but...well..."

Asriel looked confused again.

"Well, what?"

She took a heavy sigh and answered him.

"Remember the Amalgamates?"

He cocked his head.

"The Amalgamates? What about th..."

Suddenly he looked away in fear. He knew what she was getting at now, what the problem was.

"Oh, right...my **DETERMINATION**."

He saw her nod, out of the corner of his eyes.

"Yes. All the DETERMINATION you were injected with during Alphys's experiments is still coursing through your veins. The Amalgamates became what they are because they were monsters, injected with more DETERMINATION then their magic bodies could handle. You're a monster again, hence..."

His suspicions were confirmed. Asriel already knew the truth without her even having to say any more. That tingling sensation from before, that static twinge in his extremities, it wasn't the last of Asriels power fading. It wasn't him beginning to revert into Flowey. It was...

"So that's what I felt earlier..."

She nodded.

"Yeah...and even though you're not in danger of reverting into Flowey anymore, your body still has too much DETERMINATION coursing through it, more than your SOUL can handle on its own. Without a human SOUL to keep your DETERMINATION in check, your body wouldn't be able to take it. You'd eventually degrade and melt. You'd become an Amalgamate, like them. So..."

Asriel lowered his head again in despair, knowing what that meant. Without his own SOUL, he would revert back into Flowey, and without Frisks SOUL, he would eventually become an Amalgamate. Both were needed for this to work, so...

"...so in the end, I still need Frisks SOUL if I want to stay this way. So that's it then. Frisk is really..."

He started crying again, feeling lost and dejected, but Chara took Asriels hands into her own now to give him a ray of hope.

"No...there is another way."

Asriel looked up at her now, and Chara smiled at him, a genuine smile of warmth and sincerity, as if there really was a kind person underneath all the bridled rage, or at least a person now capable of such a thing.

"I want you to take MY SOUL instead."

He reeled back in horror.

"WHAT!? B-but then you'll..."

She shook her head, but the smile never left her face. She looked content, as if she knew it was the only way, as if she had already made this decision long before the subject even came up.

"I'm already dead, Asriel. This isn't my body to keep. I died a long time ago, and even if I could come back, I...I don't think I want to."

"BUT..."

She let go of Asriels hands now and turned away in shame.

"I was so angry back then, so full of hate. When you resisted, when you chose to die instead of fighting back, I felt betrayed, and all these years I let it consume me as I...as WE lingered on in this locket. If I were to come back now, as much as it pains me to admit it, I might give in to those feelings again some day. It's just...it's part of who I am. It's how I always was. And I don't ever want to go back to being that kind of person. Even a small chance of that happening is too much for me."

Asriel was terrified at that thought and reflected on his own past deeds.

"So, that means Flowey is a part of who I am too. All those horrible things I did as Flowey are..."

Chara immediately shook her head to erase any of those notions.

"NO! That is NOT who you are. Flowey was NEVER a part of you, and don't ever let yourself think otherwise. You didn't choose to become Flowey, it was forced on you. It's not who you really are. Who you really are...is who you always were before all this happened. A sweet, fuzzy little dork who cries too much."

Asriel was starting to cry again, not from being offended, but by Charas reassurance that he wasn't the evil person he thought he was. If anyone could see it, Chara could. She now raised a hand up to his cheek to console him.

"Ha ha...I was always a crybaby, wasn't I?"

She nodded.

"Yeah, but it's not a bad thing. It shows how much you care. It's a strength, not a weakness. And you should never be ashamed of it, or ashamed of who you are. Frisk was absolutely right about one thing. What Flowey did...it wasn't your fault, Azzy. It was NOT your fault! You don't need to carry that guilt anymore."

He smiled at hearing that, but he was still sobbing and she was still trying to put an end to it. It was a lot to ask. How could she expect him not to cry for her, knowing what was about to happen?

"I...I don't know if I can let you go again, Chara. I don't think I can say goodbye to you again..."

She shook her head to correct him.

"It's not 'goodbye', Azzy. Not really."

She reached out and grabbed his hands. They were damp with tears.

"I know it's hard, but don't cry for me, Azzy. Please. I was never able to convey my feelings like you and Frisk could, but now I finally understand, after all this time. All these years I was plotting my revenge, knowing someday I would be free of this prison of mine and I could finally have my vengeance on the world. So many horrible ideas I considered, destroying humanity, destroying the entire world even."

Chara went into Frisks napsack, pulling out the worn dagger she had picked up from New Home, her 'weapon.' She inspected it as if holding such a thing for the first time, and it made Asriel just slightly uncomfortable. She picked up on his body language immediately, clutching at herself now.

"...but then Frisk came along, and through all of her endeavors, I could feel her sincerity, her kindness. She showed me another way. She showed me how to forgive, what it means to feel love. She chose the path that I was never able to. She loves you so much, Azzy. She wanted you to have a second chance at life, and she was willing to give up everything, even her own life, to give you that chance. Just as you were willing to give up your own chance at happiness so everyone else could be happy."

She threw the dagger away, across the room. They could both hear it clank and rattle as its metal blade struck the hard rocky surface of the cavern walls and the ground beneath it. A cascade of sparks erupted from the impact. Asriel clutched at her hands now, holding them up in the light.

"Now I have the chance to SAVE you both. This is the great thing I can do with my life, Azzy."

"Chara..."

She looked directly into his eyes.

"Now I understand, what I've really done. What my actions have wrought. So much pain, so many horrible deeds I've committed in my anger. I was a h-horrible person, I hurt you so much, and I...I don't blame you if you hate me, Asriel. I'm so, SO sorry for what I've done to you, for what I've done to everyone. You were only trying to help me, and I..."

Asriel pulled her in closer for a hug, and now it was Chara who was crying.

"It's okay, Chara. I was _never_ upset at you."

She was hysterical now.

"I-I...I don't deserve a friend as wonderful as you, Azzy. You or Frisk."

He held her as tight as he could, patting her back gently for comfort.

"Yes you do! I could never hate you, Chara! You're my best friend, and I will _always_ love you!"

Chara rested her head against Asriels beating heart now, the sobbing nearly uncontrollable for both of them.

"I...I can feel her presence within you, even now. She has no regrets. She's happy for you, for us."

"I know, I can feel it too. She...she never gave up on me, no matter how hard things got, even when I tried to push her away. I...I don't deserve a friend like her either..."

She grabbed both of his hands now, their fingers interlocking with each others.

"Yes you do, Azzy! She's the friend you always deserved, the one I should have been. And you two are going to go on to be even better friends in the days to come. But I need to say something to her first..."

And she called out to Frisk, deep within Asriel.

"Frisk, if you can hear me, I...WE want you to know, you really ARE something special. I wish I had met you before any of this had ever happened. Things might have been different then, maybe I wouldn't have done the things I did. Maybe I would have been a better person..."

Chara pulled away from Asriel now, their hands still locked in each others tender grip.

"...but I can be a better person now, for at least one moment in my life. I'm being given a second chance too, a chance to set things right, a chance to SAVE my friends, and that's good enough for me. She deserves to be happy, with her friends and family. You both do. Please, give her back her SOUL and take mine instead."

Asriel lowered his head regretfully, knowing he was about to lose his best friend again.

"...You're really sure about this, Chara?"

She nodded.

"I am. I want you to live for yourself now. Do what's best for YOU. Do what YOU think is right."

She smiled with genuine warmth.

"And...I want you to take care of Frisk, too. She needs you, Azzy. She needs all of you, more than you know."

It was a simple request, and one that he intended to make good on, with every fiber of his being. Asriel made a terrible mistake once, taking his dearest friend for granted, letting her go through with their plan despite knowing what would happen to her, and only when he lost her did he realize how much she truly meant to him. That's not to say that he didn't love her before, she was his best friend and his adoptive sister after all, but he still blamed himself at least partly for what happened, for letting Chara go through with her plan to kill herself instead of preventing it, and they both paid the price for it.

But Frisks efforts had cured them of their folly. He knew just how much Chara meant to him now, and she knew how much he meant to her. And he was not going to make that same mistake with Frisk, for he knew now just how much Frisk meant to him as well, how much he cared about her (and how much she cared about him), and he was DETERMINED to be the friend that both of them had always wanted. He wasn't going to let her slip away too. He was going to take care of her, to be there for her when she needed him. And no matter what it took, he was going to find a way to make it up to everyone, to atone for what he did, for Frisk, for Chara, for everyone else, and for himself too.

He nodded, and Chara acknowledged it, gazing up through the hole now, feeling like she had at last found closure.

"Let the humans and monsters have their peace together. Let everyone have their happy ending. I will not rise to challenge it."

Asriel looked away for a moment, still unsure if he was really okay with her decision. She took notice and squeezed his hands tighter, drawing his gaze back to her.

"It's okay, Azzy. It's just like Frisk said, I'll always be with you, right here."

She reached forward with her hand, touching his heart. He put his hand over hers and smiled, staring into her wide, shining eyes, wiping away the tears with his other hand. There were still so many things he wanted to tell her, so many things he wanted to apologize for, but there was one fact that stood out from all the others, the most important thing of all, and that was what he needed to make clear, more than anything else.

"I love you so much, Chara!"

And Chara smiled back upon hearing that. A soft white glow enveloped them both as their foreheads touched.

"I love you too, Azzy! And I'm really glad I got to see you again! You were the best thing that ever happened to me! You made me **_happy_**!"

His smile deepened and he giggled, sniffling and sobbing as he did.

"Give Mom and Dad a big hug for me when you see them! Tell them I'm sorry, for everything! Live each day for all that you can!"

He nodded immediately. Chara clutched at her locket again, their other hands locked in each others tender grip, turning her attention to 'her' once more.

"And Frisk, if you can hear me...thank you. For everything."

The glow around them intensified, the illumination becoming a blinding aura that forced Asriel to shield his eyes, and Chara spoke out one last time as the light engulfed them.

"See you soon, Azzy!"

And then everything went black.


	7. Chapter 6 - Reunion

"U...ugh."

Consciousness returned to Asriel again. He had only been out for a few minutes but it felt much longer than that. He groaned as he staggered to his feet slowly, his body reluctantly willing itself back into service. This was definitely something he didn't want to get used to.

He inspected himself, moving his arms, wiggling his fingers and toes, rolling his head around, making sure it wasn't just a dream. It was all physical, and the tingling sensation was still nowhere to be felt.

"I'm...I'm still here. This is real."

His thoughts immediately turned to 'her' as he clutched at his chest, feeling something from deep within.

"Chara...you're with me now, aren't you? I can feel you. We're...we're **together** again."

He suddenly recalled her last words to him. Her last request.

 _ **Take care of her, Azzy. She needs you.**_

And as that thought compounded in his head, he suddenly realized who was still unaccounted for and turned around.

 _Oh no! Please, don't do this to me again! Please be okay!_

She was still unconscious, laying in the flowers. His eyes began to water again, already assuming the worst.

"FRISK!"

But this time, as if in response to hearing her name...

"U...ugh."

Asriel ran over to his friend and knelt down, placing a furry hand on her forehead.

"Frisk!?"

"A...Asriel?"

She finally opened her eyes. Not wide like Chara, but narrow and squinted. He knew, and the joy he felt in that moment was indescribable.

"FRISK! YOU'RE ALRIGHT!"

Her body seemed even less willing to comply with her, not a surprise considering she was technically dead for the last seven or eight minutes. It was a titanic struggle just to pull herself up into a sitting position. Asriel stood up now to help her.

"Cmon, take my arm."

He held out his hand towards a prone Frisk.

"Ah...thanks."

She took it, using her other hand to grab his arm for support as he pulled her to her feet. She was wobbly as her body was still weakened from her ordeal and she nearly fell over, but Asriel caught her before she lost her balance.

"Woah, it's okay, I got you."

He helped her keep balance, until she was able to return to and maintain an upright position.

"Ah, thanks. I feel like I ju-ACK!"

Asriel blitzed her with another hug before she could finish her thoughts, lifting her clean off the ground in his joy.

"I'M SO GLAD TO SEE YOU AGAIN, FRISK!"

Even though it had only been a few moments, he was so relieved that his friend was okay, even more then the fact that he was now okay as well, and he made no effort to hide it. Frisk sluggishly put her arms around him in response.

"Boy I'm getting a lot of these today. I'm really glad to see you too, Asriel."

He finally set her down, grinning at her with playful mischief.

"We haven't even gotten started yet, Frisk. You have no idea how many of these you're in for later. You'll be begging me to stop before the day is over."

Frisk couldn't resist the chance to poke fun in return.

"Haha, she was right then, you really are a sweet, fuzzy little dork."

Asriel was howling with laughter at that statement, putting his hands on his hips.

"Oh, you heard that, huh!? Yeah, you bet I am, and don't forget the "cries too much" part either!"

And Frisk was laughing with him at first, but soon another more important thought came to her mind, and she quickly pulled away in genuine concern.

"Yeah, I heard everything. But Asriel, if I'm here, now...then that means she..."

Asriel clutched at his heart, and she knew. Frisk looked away from him now, feeling ashamed of herself, weak even.

"I'm...I'm so sorry, Asriel, it's my fault that Chara..."

Asriel put a gentle hand on her shoulder, turning her head towards him, and gave her a reassuring look. His other hand was touching his heart.

"No, it's not like that at all! Because of you, Chara and I got to see each other one last time. She's a part of me now. She's right here, and she'll always be with me...with us."

He looked content now, as if he could finally breathe again, with the weight of his past no longer haunting him.

"I finally understand her, after all this time. She was finally able to face up to herself, to let go of her anger. She's at peace now, because of you. We're **together** again, and I couldn't be happier. For the first time in so long, I feel like everything is going to be okay."

Frisk started crying again, and Asriel pulled her closer, sobbing with her. His crybaby personality was definitely rubbing off on her now. Frisk reached down with her free arm, clutching the heart locket still around her neck.

"Chara...thank you."

Frisk wiped away her tears now, and Asriel did the same. They were going to need new clothes after this was over. There was a more pressing matter to address at the moment, though.

"We've got to pull ourselves together, Asriel. We've cried enough to fill the entire Underground today. Waterfall must be overflowing now because of us."

He nodded in agreement.

"Yeah. We've got to be strong now, for her. For everyone."

Frisk shrugged, looking around, not sure of what was to come.

"Okay, but what exactly DO we do now?"

Asriel didn't even need to think about his response.

"We go and find our friends and explain everything."

Frisk looked at Asriel with surprise.

"Are you sure you're ready for that?"

Asriel shook his head firmly.

"Not even close. But it has to happen sooner or later."

Frisk nodded.

"Yeah. I've got a lot of explaining to do myself...the resets, making everyone worry. I don't know what I'm g..."

"FRISK! WHERE ARE YOU!?"

A voice from behind interrupted Frisks train of thought.

"Uh oh..."

Frisk turned around in response, as she knew who the voice belonged to, and so did Asriel.

"M...MOM!?"

He cried out. Frisk hoped that she wouldn't hear it.

"She doesn't give up. She followed me in Snowdin too. Sans was the only reason I was able to sneak away to get to you. But it looks like soon might be NOW."

Asriel started shaking now, unsure of what to do. His courage was failing him already.

"I...I lied! I'm not ready, Frisk. What do we do!?"

Frisk wasn't sure about that either.

"Hide behind me, Asriel. I'll figure something out."

He nodded and took cover behind Frisk. He couldn't completely hide from sight considering Frisk was smaller than him in both height and build, but the darkness of the cave helped to conceal him somewhat.

"MOM!"

Frisk shouted as a distant Toriel approached and came into view.

"FRISK! THERE YOU ARE!"

Toriel emerged from the tunnel, stopping ten feet or so from Frisk, who was still standing in an awkward position trying to conceal the young prince.

"SHE'S OVER HERE, EVERYONE!"

"Everyone...?"

Frisk looked at Toriel curiously.

"We were all worried so we came together, looking for you. We talked to Sans at Snowdin, he told us where you were. Took us a while to find you though."

She could hear the others approaching now, the sound of Papyrus 'nyehing' the most prominent of those closing in.

 _Oh no..._

Sure enough...

"NYEH! WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN, HUMAN!? YOUR FRIEND PAPYRUS WAS WORRIED ABOUT YOU!"

Sans was next to Papyrus now.

"yeah, he started crying AGAIN."

Papyrus slammed his foot in anger.

"NOT THIS AGAIN! STIFLE YOURSELF, SANS!"

Undyne came in next and was none too pleased with Frisks reckless behavior.

"First you pass out in front of all of us, then you run off leaving us all worried. Not cool, Frisk."

Alphys meekly popped out from behind Undyne, coming to Frisks defense.

"U-Undyne...s-shouldn't we just be happy that she's okay?"

Asgore was the last one to emerge, agreeing with Alphys sentiment.

"Yes, what's important is that we found her and she's alright."

Upon witnessing the sight of his father, Asriel was barely able to contain himself, whispering quietly to himself.

"Mom, Dad...it's really you."

Frisk spoke up to reassure everyone, hoping they didn't hear that. Asriel was still hiding behind her, the others thankfully unaware of his presence still.

"I'm sorry I worried you all, I just had something I needed to do. Everything is okay now though."

Toriel nodded and approached an increasingly apprehensive Frisk, walking around the flower bed, only a few feet away now. Frisk wasn't sure what she was going to do.

"What ARE you doing all the way out here though? What did you have to do that was so important? I know you didn't want to talk about it, but you came so far out of the way for it. I...I have to know."

Frisk hesitated, and she knew she wasn't going to be able to keep up this charade. Everyone was already suspicious.

"W...well...I had to...I mean...uh..."

A furry hand touched her shoulder from behind.

"It's okay, Frisk. I...I'm ready."

Toriel stopped in her tracks upon hearing the phantom voice.

"...That voice? It sounds familiar, but...who's there? A friend of Frisks? It's okay, come on out, we're friends of hers too."

Toriel and Asgore had no idea what they were in for. Frisk turned her head to confer with Asriel.

"You're sure about this?"

Asriel shook his head.

"No, but it's either now or never."

She nodded, and hesitantly stepped away, turning back towards where she was standing.

"This was what I came for, everyone."

And out of the shadows the young prince finally emerged.

"H-hi Mom."

Toriel dropped to her knees, in sick denial of who was standing before her very eyes.

"It...it can't be. IT CAN'T BE!"

Asgore stepped forward now to satisfy his curiosity.

"Toriel, who is it?"

And as soon as his eyes fell upon the young prince who stood before them...

"A...Asriel!? MY SON, IS IT REALLY YOU!?"

Frisk chose this moment to speak up.

"Everyone, I'd like you to meet my new friend. His name is..."

Before she could finish, Asriel ran forward, into the arms of a kneeling and waiting Toriel. He practically disappeared from sight within her embrace. She was crying relentlessly, hugging the young prince tighter and tighter, still unconvinced of what was playing out in front of her.

"ASRIEL! IT'S ASRIEL! MY PRECIOUS CHILD, IT'S REALLY YOU!"

Now Asriel was crying again, his tears soaking into the fabric of Toriels robes, as was the case with Frisk earlier.

"I'm here, Mom. I've missed you both so much. Mom. Dad. So much..."

A moment later Asgore was on his knees, embracing his wife and child.

"OH, MY SON!"

In complete disbelief of what was unfolding before his eyes.

"MY PRECIOUS ANGEL, YOU'VE COME BACK TO US! I CAN'T BELIEVE IT!"

The rest of the crew seemed utterly mindblown beyond words. Alphys was the only one to manage any kind of verbal response, and it was clearly not what anyone wanted to hear at this moment.

"H-HOLY CRAP! THIS IS LIKE SOMETHING OUT OF ONE OF MY ANIMES!"

Not breaking the embrace, Toriel shot Alphys a dirty look, and Alphys stepped back in horror, regretting that she ever said anything. Undyne even felt obliged to scold her for such a brash statement.

"Wrong time to say something like that, Alphys. This is clearly an emotional moment for them."

"can't believe papyrus hasn't said something stupid yet."

"ZIP IT, SANS! WHO IS THIS KID, ANYWAY!?"

Toriel could care less about the pointless banter bouncing among her friends. She was overjoyed that her son was alive and well, standing right in front of her, but couldn't even begin to piece together what had happened, the circumstances that brought her precious Asriel back from the dead, and longed for any sort of an answer.

"HOW IS THIS POSSIBLE THOUGH!? You...a long time ago. HOW!?"

Only Frisk knew the answer, and of course, Sans picked the wrong moment, as usual, to chime in with his opinion.

"i think we all have a clue here."

And everyone turned to Frisk, standing far to the side away from everyone, shyly kicking at the ground beneath her with her hands behind her back.

"Frisk!? This is YOUR doing!?"

"Well, I...I had a hand in it."

Sans wouldn't let up.

"well, cmon, spill the beans frisk. we're dying for some answers here."

 _Damn it, Sans..._

Frisk couldn't blame Sans for being curious. The last time they spoke, it was almost a certainty to both of them that Frisk wouldn't live to tell the tale, yet here she was, and it baffled him.

Toriel shook her head, smiling and crying at the same time, clearly overjoyed by what she was experiencing now, what she had been given back. She changed her mind. She didn't care for an answer anymore. The fact that she had her son back, however it came to be, was enough for her.

"No, forget it. It can wait Sans. I don't really care how this is possible. I'm just...so happy to be holding my son again."

Frisk sighed with a wave of relief. She knew she would have to tell them sooner or later, but later was much preferable right now. Asgore agreed with Toriels sentiment. There was nothing more precious to them then the person who was safely in their arms once more. He spoke up now to celebrate this.

"For whatever blessed reason, we have our little angel back. That's all that matters to us."

This was the moment Frisk worked so hard for, the moment that made the entire endeavor worth it, seeing Asriel reunited with his parents. It brought a tear to her eye and she couldn't help but smile as it played out, even though she technically had to die to make it possible.

 _It was all worth it._

Now Asriel himself spoke up, still sobbing, unable to believe that this was really happening, that he was really reunited with his beloved parents. He knew what he had to do in this moment, what he had to tell them, and unlike the situation with Frisk, it couldn't wait.

"I missed you both so much. I...I have so much to tell you. Both of you. I don't even know where to start."

He looked over at Frisk now, and...

"Um...Frisk?"

Still standing to the side, Frisk immediately took the hint (or so she thought) and nodded at the Dreemurr family with a wink, walking over to her waiting friends. Asriel kept watching as this happened, not making a sound or move.

"Come on everyone, let's give the Dreemurrs some privacy. They have a lot of catching up to do."

They all nodded at Frisk and started walking towards the Ruins entrance. Sans was relentless in this moment.

"you still owe us an explanation, frisk."

"It can wait, Sans."

"NYEH, THE GREAT PAPYRUS WANTS TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENED TOO!"

"Ugh, not you too! Move it guys!"

She was pushing and shoving them towards the entrance of the ruins, until they disappeared from sight. Frisk cast a quick glance back at the Dreemurrs and, satisfied that they now had some peace and quiet to reconcile, began to follow the others out.

But she didn't even make it three steps before she was suddenly stopped in her tracks, as she felt a furry hand grab hers from behind. She turned around.

It was Asriel.

"Where do you think YOU'RE going, Frisk!?"

A question that took Frisk by surprise.

"Don't you want me to leave too? You haven't seen your family in a long time, Asriel. I don't want to spoil the moment."

 **But he REFUSED**

Mindful of Charas last request, Asriel forcibly dragged her back towards the flower bed, where Toriel and Asgore were waiting.

"Asriel, what are y-GUH!"

Before she could finish that thought, Asriel assaulted her with the biggest hug he could muster, his claws tearing more fabric from the back of her shirt. He was much stronger than he looked, but at the same time he was gentle enough not to hurt her.

"You're not going ANYWHERE, **sis**! YOU'RE a part of this family too!"

And the only thought that came to Frisks head was...

 _He...he called me sis!_

Since Frisk had taken to calling Toriel 'Mom', that technically made Asriel her brother, and it seems he felt the same way about her. Like Chara, Frisk was more than a friend to Asriel now. She was a sibling.

They stared into each others eyes now, Frisk still bound in his arms. She was blushing and her lips were quivering, visibly touched by what he had just said, and...

"Asriel, I...I..."

 **Frisk and Asriel are filled with DETERMINATION**

And she suddenly started crying, throwing her arms around him and burying her face into his shoulder, with Asriel hugging her even tighter in response. After all the tough talk about being strong for everyone, here they were, bawling on each others shoulders again. Neither one of them cared though, they were just happy to be sharing this moment with each other.

Toriel and Asgore smiled at each other, and it didn't take long for them to join in the embrace, and soon everyone was in tears, unable to contain their joy. The two former spouses put their differences aside temporarily for their children. Their friends explanation would have to wait. This moment was all that mattered now, and Toriel cemented that fact with a few simple words.

"The whole family is here now."


	8. Chapter 7 - Confession

"They've been talking for a long time now."

Undyne said as she looked around at everyone. Hours had passed since Asriel was reunited with his family. Frisk was the only one who could shed any light on the situation, but she never followed the rest of her friends out. Asriel dragged her away at the last moment to share in the happy reunion, even calling her his sister, a part of his family.

None of them even noticed that Frisk had been pulled away from the group until they were back at the entrance to the Ruins. Only Sans and Alphys knew who Asriel really was, and only Sans knew what was really going on, but the rest of them were completely in the dark.

And Alphys was still in complete denial of what she had just seen.

"I-I can't believe he's back!"

Papyrus didn't even have a clue.

"WHO THE HELL IS THAT WEIRD KID ANYWAY!? HE'S LIKE A MINIATURE TORIEL AND ASGORE! SOMEBODY FILL ME IN!"

"that 'weird kid' is their son, paps, and the future heir to the throne."

Sans knew pretty much everything that was going on, what had happened to make it possible, because Frisk had told him earlier what she was planning to do, and eventually he went along with it. But the one thing he couldn't account for was why Frisk was still alive. He never even expected to see her again, she had made it clear at the time that what she was doing meant certain death for her. Suicide by all accounts.

"AND WE WERE NEVER TOLD ABOUT HIM BEFORE!? HUMAN FRISK IS GOING TO HAVE A LOT OF EXPLAINING TO DO WHEN SHE COMES OUT!"

Papyrus spoke out, and Sans recalled the promise he made to Frisk earlier, to watch out for Asriel, to make sure no harm was done, and he felt compelled to make good on that promise by keeping quiet about what he knew. Asriel and Frisk were already spilling everything to their parents anyway, and if they really wanted to, they could tell everyone later, but Sans knew it was not his place to say anything. They knew as much as they needed to know already.

"i think we should just leave well enough alone, to be honest. frisk is okay and toriel and asgore have their son back. i don't really understand it either, but like they said, it really doesn't matter how. let's just be happy for them."

Undyne shared Sans sentiments completely.

"Yeah, I don't even want to know anymore. I haven't seen that big fluffy goofball smile like that in a long time. It's the happiest I've ever seen him, to be honest."

But Alphys wouldn't let it go, and the look of passion...no, OBSESSION on her face horrified everyone. The conniving grin on her scaly face could make even the bravest person shake in their boots. She looked like a mad scientist who had just come up with an ingenious evil plan for world domination...which was scarily true in some ways.

"N-NO! I HAVE TO KNOW HOW THIS IS POSSIBLE! I'M A SCIENTIST! I HAVE TO DO RESEARCH, PERFORM EXPERIMENTS..."

Undyne put a hand over Alphys's mouth and yanked on her ear.

"MPPPPHHHHFFFF! OUCH!"

"Oh no you don't, Alphys! Let this one remain a mystery. Let it be."

Alphys sighed with weary resignation.

"...oh, fine. They probably wouldn't want me poking and prodding their son anyway."

 **...**

"So, Alphys was..."

Immediately following that thought, Toriel lashed out in anger.

"YOU MISERABLE SON OF A..."

Asgore looked away from Toriel in shame. Her eyes burned with rage, but she was mindful to watch her language, knowing there were children present.

"I know what I did was wrong. I just..."

"THERE IS NO EXCUSE FOR WHAT YOU'VE DONE!"

Toriel already knew what he had done to the previous children that came to the Underground. That was her primary reason for leaving him in the first place. But she never knew about the research that he ordered or the experiments that he authorized on resurrection and other taboo fields of science. If anyone was to blame for the things Flowey did (not that Asriel would ever pass the blame on somebody else), it was Asgore, his actions being the catalyst which spawned that entity in the first place. Not even Alphys was fully to blame for this. She was merely following orders.

Asriel was crying again. Neither he nor Frisk wanted to hear them fighting, even though Asgore knew he deserved no better for what he had done in the past. It was unrealistic to expect them to even be civil with each other after such a horrid revelation, but...

"...Please, don't fight. Not now. I'm so sorry, Mom. Dad. I'm..."

Asriel had finally finished explaining everything to his parents, what he and Chara had planned, what happened to them, Alphys's research, the things he did as Flowey, and how he was able to be here with them now. Frisk was able to fill in the finer details of what had happened in the moments leading up to this reunion, unfortunately going into detail about what she had to do to make this possible. It wasn't easy for either of them. They were able to confess their sins to themselves, but confessing it to everyone else was another matter entirely, and neither of them could blame Toriel or Asgore for being angry with them, disappointed, or even hurt.

They weren't though.

"Oh, my child, I'm sorry. We're not mad at you. It's okay. We forgive you, no matter what you...no. The things that Flowey did...they weren't your fault, Asriel. There is nothing to forgive."

 _I'm glad they agree with that at least._

Asriel smiled now, still sobbing. It was nice hearing Frisk and Chara forgive him earlier, telling him that Floweys deeds weren't his fault, but hearing his PARENTS say it...now he was truly beginning to feel like he had some degree of absolution.

"To have you back, now, alive and well...it's more than either of us could ever ask for."

Asgore nodded with tears in his eyes, sharing his wifes sentiments as well.

"Everything is gonna be okay now."

Toriel shot Asgore a dirty look.

"I'll deal with you later."

He was visibly worried now. That was the best he could ask for though.

Toriel now looked at Frisk, a glance of happiness, but one laced with heartache as well.

"Frisk...thank you so much for this. You don't know what this means to us, to have our precious Asriel back."

The smile on Frisks face didn't even have time to take form.

"But...you shouldn't have done what you did."

 _Huh?_

Asriel looked up at his mother now.

"Mom?"

Toriel began to cry again, grabbing hold of Frisks hands.

"What would I have done if I had lost you too? We might have been mourning over YOU right now. I'm overjoyed beyond words to have our precious Asriel back, but...if I had lost YOU in the process..."

"...I know, Mom. I'm sorry. I-I was just trying to...I..."

Asgore spoke up in Frisks defense now.

"Toriel, what matters is that she's here now, with us. Can't we just be happy with that?"

But Frisk remembered something important in this moment.

 _The letter..._

"...no, it's okay. I deserve it for the stunt I pulled. I guess it's now or never."

She looked over at Asriel now.

"Azzy, can I..."

He interrupted her with an excited response. He loved being called that name, it was what Chara used to call him all the time, and he was beaming to hear Frisk call him by that name as well.

"Y-you called me Azzy! Aww, Frisk!"

Frisk squinted at him with renewed joy.

"Guess I know what to call you from now on, heh."

She held out her hand now.

"Can I have that letter back please?"

"OH!"

He dug into his pockets, pulling out the letter Frisk gave him before...well, the one she asked him to deliver to Toriel as a last request.

"Here."

Frisk took the letter delicately from Asriels fuzzy hand, and, her own hands now shaking, held it out for Toriel.

"What's this?"

Frisk looked away, ashamed of what Toriel was about to discover.

"I...I wrote it, right before coming to see Azzy."

Toriel took it from Frisks trembling hands, looking at the front.

 **To Mom.**

She carefully opened it with a gentle swipe of her claw and took out the folded note inside. Asgore leaned over her shoulder now, and, putting her reading glasses on, she read the letters contents aloud.

 _ **Dear Toriel,**_

 _ **If you got this letter, then you've no doubt been reunited with your son at this point...and I am now dead. It feels strange to be writing something like this in such a way, but I guess I can't be surprised, knowing what comes next. I am sorry for not telling you, or anyone else, what I was planning to do, but it was necessary. I'm sure you understand now, why I couldn't say anything.**_

 _ **Even now I can't tell you why I've done this. It wouldn't make any sense to you, or anyone else. It doesn't even really make sense to me, because I have no idea if what I'm doing is even going to work. All I know is the person I've done this for means the world to me, even if I've technically only known him for a few minutes. It was really much longer than that in retrospect, but...well, it's hard to explain. Maybe it's better if I don't.**_

 _ **When I first realized what I had to do to save him, I was terrified. I wasn't sure if it would work, but even worse, I wasn't sure if I would have the courage be able to even go through with it, and I hated myself at the time for admitting that I could be so weak. I hated myself even more knowing how much pain this was going to cause you, and everybody else, when it was all said and done. I'm still terrified, even as I write this, and I can't blame you all for being mad at me for doing something so stupid and reckless.**_

 _ **But, in spite of it all, I have no regrets. I've had a wonderful life, short as it was. I've made so many friends, so many happy memories, and it's more than I deserve. If I were in this same position a second time, I would do the exact same thing all over again, because he's...because he's my best friend, and he deserves this chance to experience what I've already shared in a hundred times over. And you and Asgore deserve to have him back. I'm content to leave things at that.**_

 _ **Don't be sad for me, Mom. I got to see you again. I got to feel the warmth of your embrace one last time. After how I had treated you at the beginning of this whole ordeal, to be able to make amends with you, it's enough for me. I'm so, so sorry for what I did to you then. You've given me so much, more than I could ever repay you for.**_

 _ **Well, I'm running out of time, so I should wrap things up. If you do get this letter, thank you so much, both of you, for everything. You, Asriel, all my friends...you made me feel loved. You made me happy. It's more than I could have ever asked for. And if by some miracle I survive this, if I should somehow make it home, I hope I can come back to your waiting arms to tell you all of this myself, hand in hand with my new friend.**_

 _ **Love,**_

 _ **Frisk**_

Toriel was in tears after reading the letter, and Asgore too. Frisk was staring down at the flowers, afraid to even look at any of them, feeling so ashamed of herself for causing so much worry to everyone she loved, forcing everyone to relive this nightmare again and again as she frantically searched for the key to saving the young prince, and what she had to do in the end to make it possible.

"I...I can't blame you all if you hate me for what I've done. I deserve it. I deserve it ten times over."

She was shaking uncontrollably, feeling guilty, ashamed, knowing she had done a terrible thing, even if it was to save someone very dear to her. She knew she couldn't expect them to understand, much less forgive her for what she had done, no matter her reasons.

...but Asriel reached out and pulled her closer, putting a hand on each shoulder, and Frisk had to screw together what little courage she had left to meet his gaze. He never stopped crying, and was in fact a bawling mess at this point, but when she finally looked up at him, she saw how touched he was by her true feelings, her efforts.

"Frisk..."

Now a sobbing wreck herself, Frisk threw her arms around her new brother. He immediately returned the embrace tenfold, putting one hand on the back of her head and nuzzling her cheek gently, their tears mixing with each others.

"I-I'm sorry, everyone..."

This time he was the one to comfort HER, gently patting her back.

"It's okay, Frisk. Everything's gonna be okay now."

Asriel looked up at his sobbing mother now, still holding his new sister in his loving embrace.

"Please don't be mad at her, Mom. She did this for me...be mad at me instead."

Toriel looked at Asriel, then Frisk, and pulled them in closer, hugging them both as tight as she could.

"I-I...I'm not angry at either of you. I just...I'M JUST SO HAPPY TO HAVE YOU BOTH BACK! I LOVE YOU BOTH SO MUCH!"

She kissed both their foreheads and tightened her grip on them, Asriel and Frisk still locked in each others arms.

"Just, please, promise me you won't do something like that again Frisk. If I lost either of you again, I'd never be able to..."

Frisk shook her head immediately and swore on that oath without hesitation.

"I won't, Mom. You're not gonna lose either of us ever again. No more crazy stunts, I promise!"

"Yeah, I promise too!"

Asriel shouted with her.

Toriel smiled, squeezing more tears out of her eyes with a squint, and she spoke to 'her' now.

"And Chara...if you can hear me, we love you very much too. I wish...I wish I could hold you again and tell you that in person."

Asriel held a hand up to his mothers cheek now.

"You're holding her right now, Mom. She's right here."

He touched his heart with his other hand now.

"She loves you too. All of you."

Frisk touched her own heart and supported her brothers sentiments. Toriel nodded happily, while Asgore remained silent for most of the ordeal. He didn't really need to say anything, and words wouldn't even be enough to convey how much joy he felt in this moment. He was happy just to be a part of this, and they all knew it.

Frisk pulled away from both of them now. She took off the heart locket she was still wearing, the one Asriel put around her neck earlier.

She handed it back to him.

"Here, this belongs to you...to her."

Asriel shook his head with a smile, pushing it back towards Frisk.

"No, please, keep it Frisk. Chara would want you to have it. I do too."

Frisk was unsure about his request.

"I...I don't know, Azzy. It doesn't feel right, keeping something that doesn't belong to me, something that was so precious to her."

Asriel cocked his head in contemplation for a moment, trying to think of a compromise, and he was almost immediately struck with inspiration.

"I have an idea! Mom, do you think you can..."

He was whispering into her ear now, as Frisk cocked her head in curiosity.

"Asriel, that's a wonderful idea!"

She held out her hand to Frisk now.

"Here, give it to me, Frisk."

With a curious look on her face, she handed the locket over to Toriel, who dropped it carefully in the pockets of her robes.

"When we leave, we'll pick up Asriels locket too. And a camera."

Asriel looked surprised at hearing that.

"You still have mine, after all this time?"

Now Asgore was the one to speak up.

"Of course we do! We'll pick it up on the way to the surface."

Toriel nodded at everyone.

"It'll take a little while, at least a few weeks, so be patient. You'll get them back soon."

Asgore stood, looking back towards the Ruins.

"So, what now?"

Frisk looked up at the hole that she fell through so long ago. Sunlight no longer filtered down through the opening, and the only thing visible was the starlit sky above.

"It's already night time."

Toriel looked up through the hole with Frisk.

"I don't think we should leave for the surface tonight, it could be dangerous. We'll leave first thing in the morning."

Asgore agreed with his former spouse and offered up a solution.

"Why not stay at our old house for the night then? There's plenty of room to put up everyone and it's not far from the entrance to the mountain. Asriel can take a look around his old room and pack some things for the journey."

Asriel spoke up in response to that idea.

"That sounds okay to me, but it's pretty far from here."

Frisk answered that concern with another solution.

"Sans will be able to help us there. He knows all the cool 'shortcuts."

Toriel cocked her head in confusion at that statement.

"Short...cuts?"

Frisk responded hesitantly.

"It's uh...hard to explain. You just have to see it for yourself. I don't think he'll mind."

She nodded, and Asriel spoke up once more.

"I'm ready then. Let's go see our friends."

Frisk was worried about that idea though.

"I wonder what we're going to tell them..."

Toriel was way ahead of everyone on that one.

"Leave that to me."

They all nodded at her, and Asgore knelt down to Asriels level now.

"Want to fly, son?"

Asriel had a huge dopey grin on his face as his father picked him up, letting him ride piggyback on his shoulders, his legs dangling in the air. Frisk, meanwhile, took Toriel's waiting hand, nodding at each other with a smile, and started walking towards the Ruins, with Asgore and the fuzzy little dork following close behind.


	9. Chapter 8 - First Light

Sans nodded at everyone, and all were in unanimous agreement.

"okay, then. let's just be happy that things turned out this way. i think we all know what's next."

"Yes, we do."

A voice from behind. It was Toriel.

"oh, welcome back guys."

Sans said as Toriel emerged from the grove, walking hand in hand with Frisk. Asgore was close behind them, with a very happy Asriel riding piggyback, Frisk and Asriel smiling at one another.

There were still a few matters to address, and Toriel was the one to deliver this time.

"First thing's first. Alphys, you're FIRED!"

Everyone was expecting her to be completely heartbroken by this, but ironically...

"OH THANK YOU! I was about ready to resign!"

Nobody could believe how overjoyed she was at hear this news, and Undyne was surprisingly the only one who expressed any concern over this.

"But what are you gonna do now that you're unemployed, Alphys?"

"WHAT ELSE!? Stay home in my pajamas all day and watch anime like a complete and utter loser!"

Strangely, Undyne expressed enthusiasm for Alphys. She made it pretty clear why she liked Alphys so much though, way back when she asked Alphys on a date to the dump and Frisk had to play the matchmaker.

"Well, as long as you're passionate about it, that sounds cool! We can BOTH be total losers then!"

Papyrus was only concerned with his own agenda at this point.

"NYEH, WHAT ABOUT THE GREAT PAPYRUS!? ASGORE, CAN I JOIN THE ROYAL GUARD NOW!?"

Asgore thought about his answer for a moment, but what he said was a positive reflection of his character.

"Well, to be honest Papyrus, I don't think we need the Royal Guard anymore. I'm going to do everything in my power to strive for peaceful relationships with the humans now, and having an armed force like the Royal Guard may cause unneeded tension and hostility between the races. I think I'm going to officially disband the Royal Guards, as of now."

Toriel was very surprised to hear this, but pleased that her former spouse was at least trying to take a step in the right direction.

"Asgore..."

Papyrus was furious though.

"WHAT!? MY LIFELONG DREAM IS SHATTERED IN AN INSTANT AND YOU CALL THIS A HAPPY ENDING!? CLEARLY, THIS IS THE WORST ENDING EVER! FRISK, I'VE GOT A 'BONE' TO PICK WITH YOU!"

"heh, good one bro. finally starting to lighten up."

Undyne was there to save the moment with a new dream for Papyrus. Even though she had technically just been fired too, she didn't seem to mind either.

"What are you so worried about, Paps? Now that we're going to have so much free time, I'm going to double up on your cooking lessons. You'll be known as Master Chef Papyrus by the time I'm done with you! Your spaghetti masterpiece will be the greatest the world has ever tasted!"

Papyrus's attitude changed completely upon hearing that.

"I TAKE IT BACK! CLEARLY, THIS IS THE BEST ENDING EVER!"

Frisk and Asriel shivered at the thought of ever having to taste Papyrus cooking. Sans spoke up now to get a plan of action going. He was highly anxious to see the world above and it was easy to understand why.

"kay, so, are we all ready to go then?"

Toriel shook her head to his disappointment.

"It's the dead of night, it could be dangerous to venture to the surface now. I think we should wait until tomorrow before we depart."

"ah, okay. well, i guess i'll head home and meet you guys at the entrance tomorrow then. cya tomorrow."

He began to walk away...in the opposite direction, AWAY from the Ruins, and Frisk ran after him to stop him, grabbing his hand from behind.

"Wait!"

"hmm? what's up?"

"There was one other thing, if you wouldn't mind."

Frisk was whispering into Sans ear socket now, and clearly what she was telling, or rather, asking him made him a little uncomfortable, but he had already done it for her twice, so...

"hmm...well, why not?"

Sans beckoned everyone to follow him.

"come on, everyone. sleepover at the dreemurr residence. i know a 'shortcut.'"

Frisk took Toriels hand again, and everyone followed close behind him, the same direction he had been walking before.

 **Two minutes later**

"welp, here we are."

They were in New Home now, standing in the living room of the old Dreemurr house. Undyne was beyond words at what she had just witnessed.

"How in the hell..."

Alphys was just as dumbfounded, and most curious, being a scientist.

"W-what just happened? This blatantly violates my understanding of science and the world around me."

Sans crossed his arms. That secret was staying with him.

"sorry, that's classified. sensitive, need to know information. don't ask, don't tell."

Papyrus shot this down immediately though.

"HE CHEATS! THAT'S ALL THERE IS TO IT!"

"gee, thanks for spoiling it bro. why not tell them ALL my secrets?"

"NYEHEHEHEHEHEH!"

Toriel didn't even care about what she had just witnessed. She was uneasy, and it was pretty clear why.

"I...haven't been in this house in so long."

There was a old clock on the wall above the staircase. Asgore took note of the time.

9:14 PM.

"We need to be up and out of here by 5:00 AM if we want to see the sunrise."

Sunrise...that thought excited Asriel, who was still on his fathers shoulders.

"It'll be my first sunrise. Wow, I can't wait to see it."

Sans nodded at Asriel.

"yeah, it'll be the first sunrise for all of us, actually."

It wasn't actually going to be the first time Asriel had seen the sun, since he had already been to the surface once before. But his situation at that time, carrying the corpse of his dear friend Chara, didn't allow him to appreciate simple things like the warmth of sunlight or the gentle kiss of the wind when he traversed the surface the first time. In truth, Asriel was terrified of returning to the surface a second time, the first trip having gone so bad, but this time he was going with his friends by his side, not alone, and not under such grim circumstances. And although he knew there were some bad people on the surface, a lot of "Floweys" as he once said, after having met Frisk, Asriel knew that there had to be some good, kind people on the surface too, and he was determined to give the humans a fair chance. This time he was going to do things the right way, for his sake and Charas as well.

Asgore spoke up for everyone now.

"Then it's settled. We will leave for the surface before first light. I have plenty of blankets and pillows in the bedroom, and you're all welcome to sleep in the living room."

He put his son down now.

"I'll start a fire to warm up the house."

He looked over at his former spouse.

"Toriel, you can take the main bedroom tonight. I...have things I need to do before the night is over. Why not let the kids sleep in Asriels old room?"

She nodded.

"Alright, I'll put them to bed."

Asriel was defiant about sleeping though.

"No way! We're not even tired, right Fr...?"

His voice fell flat as his eyes fell upon his new sibling. He giggled in response.

"D'aww, Frisk...look at her."

She was asleep on her feet. Her hand was still in Toriels gentle grasp, but it was all that kept her from falling to the floor.

"Oh, you poor child."

Toriel picked Frisk up now, gently cradling the sleeping child against her shoulder, careful not to wake her.

"can't blame her after what she's been through today."

Asriel tugged on his mothers arm.

"She can sleep in Charas old bed, Mom."

Papyrus didn't understand the concept of keeping his voice down.

"I'LL READ THEM A BEDTIME STORY IF YOU WANT, MISS TORIEL!"

Toriel put a finger to her lips directed at Papyrus.

"Shh. It's okay Papyrus, I'll just put her to bed. You too Asriel."

Asriel nodded in agreement.

"Yeah, I guess you're right."

He took his mothers hand and they walked off, down the hall, towards his old room. Asgore directed the rest of the guests to the living room.

"Well then, make yourselves at home, everyone."

 **...**

The light still worked when flicked on.

The room had been untouched for many years. In fact, only once had this room been disturbed in so long, and recently, by Frisk herself. The unwrapped boxes that once contained Chara's heart locket and worn dagger still sat on the dresser, along with the dusty picture frame containing a bust photo of Chara. The picture caught Asriels attention immediately as he entered the room.

"Chara...Mom, can we take this with us? I wouldn't really miss much of my other stuff, but this is important to me."

Toriel nodded, a sleeping Frisk still cradled in her arms.

"Of course, Asriel. There's still time, take a look around and see if there's anything you'd like to take with you, but I want you to try and get some sleep too, okay?"

He nodded happily.

"Okay."

Toriel gently placed a sleeping Frisk in the closest bed, Chara's old bed, tucked her in and kissed her forehead.

"Sweet dreams, Frisk."

As she stood, Asriel divebombed into his mothers robe, wrapping his arms as far around her as he could.

"This...this is real. I'm really here, with you."

Toriel fell to her knees and hugged the young prince back, pulling him against the fabric of her robes.

"Asriel...to have you both...no, to have you all back, I couldn't be happier."

He started crying again, but Toriel wiped his tears away immediately.

"No more crying today, Asriel. Enough tears have been shed today. Only happy thoughts now."

"I am happy, though. More than you know."

Now she had to fight back a few tears. They pulled away from each other now, and she stood again.

"Try and get some sleep. We'll be leaving very early."

He nodded as she walked towards the door.

"Good night, children. If you need anything, I'll be just next door."

"Okay. Good night, Mom!"

She flicked the light off and quietly closed the door. There was still a little ambient light coming from underneath the door, allowing Asriel to see well enough. Boss Monsters had better eyesight than humans, and they were adjusted to the relatively weak lighting of the Underground anyway. It was a sense that developed and became stronger over years of isolation in the dark depths of the mountain.

He walked over to Charas bed and looked down at a sleeping Frisk, lost in a peaceful slumber. She hadn't experienced a good nights sleep since this whole undertaking had begun. The nights were always restless or plagued with bad dreams, weighed down at the time by the guilt of leaving her friend behind, of not being able to help him. No longer was that the case. Asriel was finally here with everyone. Frisk slept like a baby, smiling even as she slumbered, and Asriel couldn't help but smile as well, happy that he was here with her, to be able to share in the bright future that lie ahead with his new friend, his new sibling. Happy that his friend Chara had finally found peace after so long.

He leaned down and kissed her forehead, already embracing her as part of his family.

"Good night, Frisk."

Then he walked over to the other side of the room, to his own bed. He slid his legs underneath the covers and found a comfortable position, turning to the wall next to him, putting a hand to his heart as he closed his eyes.

"We're back, Chara. We're...we're **home**."

 **...**

Asgore was waiting outside Asriels room as Toriel closed the door.

"How are they doing?"

"Frisk is sleeping peacefully, Asriel should be out any time as well. They've had a long day."

Asgore nodded, leaning against the wall.

"I...I still can't believe we have him back. We owe so much to Frisk."

Toriel nodded back, looking a little concerned.

"What is it, Toriel?"

Her head was hanging low now, twiddling her thumbs together.

"I just...I wonder what's gonna happen now. Now that we're all free from this place and ready to reunite with the world above, I'm afraid that Frisk might want to..."

Asgore tilted his head.

"She might want to what? What are you getting at?"

She held her hands up to her eyes now, trying to hold back the tears.

"Her real parents are out there somewhere, Asgore. She's probably going to want to go and find them, and that means she probably won't want to stay with us. She left me once already and I couldn't force her to stay, knowing that she would be unhappy. I...I love Frisk like my own daughter, and I want her to be happy, more than anything, but if that means letting her go again, I...I don't know if I can. I don't want to lose her again. Not again."

Asgore put a tender hand on his ex-wifes shoulder now.

"Toriel...I know I'm the last person you want any sort of reassurance from, but if she does leave, for whatever reason, I'm sure she won't forget about you, or any of us. I'm sure she'll come and visit. She cares about us, you especially, and she's proven it beyond all doubt today. She would never forget you."

She looked up at her former husband now, wiping away a few tears.

"I know, you're right. It's silly to worry about such a thing. Even if she does leave, I know I'll see her again. But...I'll still miss her if she does. And Asriel might have a harder time accepting it. I can see it in his eyes, the way those two have bonded. He really loves her. How is he going to take it if she does decide to leave tomorrow?"

Asgore looked away now. It was bothering him too.

"I don't know. But I don't think it's going to do us any good to worry about it now. They need us to be strong for them right now, so I think the best thing we can do is put it aside for tonight and worry about it tomorrow. We have them both back, Toriel. Alive, unharmed, and happy. That should be enough for us right now."

Toriel nodded, smiling at her old husband.

"Yeah, I guess you're right. Well, in that case, I think I'll bake them a pie for the morning. Do we have any..."

"Snails are in the fridge, butterscotch and cinnamon in the pantry. You know where everything else is."

She nodded.

"Thank you. I'll bake two then, a Snail Pie for him, and a butterscotch/cinnamon for her...you can have some too if you want. Hopefully she'll enjoy this one. She didn't like the Snail Pie I made for her when we first met, but she still ate it anyway, and even tried to lie about it just to please me...that girl is so sweet."

Asgore smiled.

"Yeah, she is. Well, I need to get some extra blankets and pillows from the bedroom for our guests. Excuse me."

He started walking past her, past the kids bedroom, towards the master bedroom at the end of the hall.

"Asgore?"

He turned around.

"Yes?"

"I know there has been a lot of friction between us after we lost him...them, the first time, and I can't condone what you've done, but I see now...you really did mean well, even if you did a poor job of trying to show it. And even though I couldn't stay with you after what you did...I never stopped loving you. And it's strange to say it, but, without your foolish actions or research and Alphys's experiments, we wouldn't have our son back right now. I...I have to be grateful for that. Thank you."

Asgore sighed heavily. His expression was laced with regret and shame.

"Please, don't thank me. What I did to those children and to everyone else was out of anger and despair. I've caused so much pain to so many people, all because I was too selfish to see beyond my own grief. I don't deserve any mercy or pity for my actions. That Frisk forgave me for my horrible crimes is already more than I deserve. All I know is that I've been given another chance, I've been given my son back and an opportunity to try and make things right, and I intend to make the most of it, starting with a peaceful truce with humanity."

She nodded at him.

"But, if you do feel that way...well, I have no right to ask it given our history, but, if some day you choose to forgive me, then maybe we could..."

Before he could finish that thought, Toriel walked up and kissed Asgore, right on the lips. Thankfully nobody was around to see it.

"If Frisk can forgive you, then so can I. But you have to find a way to forgive yourself. As for the other thing...we'll see. One day at a time. Whatever happens, I at least want you to be around to spend time with our son, even if you're going to be away a lot."

He nodded, visibly blushing. Toriel always gave the best hugs, but she also gave the best kisses as well, and Asgore knew it better than anybody. They were the reigning Nose Nuzzling champions, after all.

"I'll never be able to fully atone for what I've done, but I'll do everything in my power to at least try, for as long as I'm able to."

She reached a hand up to his face now, massaging it gently.

"And I'll visit as often as I can. I want to get to know Frisk better too...if she does decide to stay."

They smiled at each other for a brief moment.

"Well, I'd better start making those pies."

"Yes, I'll get those blankets now. After you, m'lady."

He gave a curt bow. She giggled before turning towards the living room and started walking towards the kitchen. He went the other way, to the master bedroom.

"Forgive myself...I'll try."


	10. Chapter 9 - Sunrise

"Mmm...unnngggh."

Frisk sloppily sat up in her bed after a long yawn, still exhausted from the day before. The room was dark, her eyes were barely able to make out any distinguishable shapes, but she noticed the other bed across the room and could hear Asriels soft breathing contrasting the ambient silence. She knew where she was.

 _How long have I been asleep?_

"Oh, you're awake."

A familiar voice from the other bed.

"Azzy? Is that you? I can't see."

He sat up in his own bed, stretching his limbs.

"Yeah, it's me. Hold on."

He stood, quietly walked across the room and flicked on the light. It was temporarily blinding for Frisk and she had to shut her eyes for a moment until they adjusted.

"Oh, sorry! You've been out for a long time. I wouldn't be surprised if it's morning now."

Immediately she noticed something on the floor. A detail.

"I hope that's not..."

Asriel shook his head, pointing to another plate on the dresser. She could see the slimy remains of a slice of Snail Pie encrusting the plate. He picked up the other plate on the floor and brought it over to her.

"Nah, this one is butterscotch and cinnamon. Mom made two pies earlier. This one is yours."

Frisk lethargically took the plate from his hands. She had tasted this particular recipe before, on her very first run through this journey, and it brought back fond memories. With fork in hand, she dug into the pie immediately, and her expression as she took that first bite said it all.

"Ah, you like that one. Be sure to tell her that so you don't have to suffer more slimy, delicious Snail Pie in the future."

He smacked his lips together...or at least what passed for lips with that long snout. She wondered if he ever accidentally bit his lips or his tongue with those fangs of his.

"Haha, dork. How long have you been up, by the way? Did you sleep at all?"

He sat on her bed now, shyly kicking his legs over the edge.

"A little bit. My mind was racing most of the night though, and I woke up right around when mom walked in with the pies. I'm not even tired, to be honest. Hell of a day yesterday, huh?"

Frisk leaned forward and reached out to Asriel, grabbing his closest arm.

"Are you okay?"

He nodded.

"Yeah, I think so. I'm just...still in shock that this is all really happening. I'm really here, with my family and friends. I'm really going to get to leave here and see the surface...see it again, in any case. I'm gonna get to live a normal life."

Frisk retracted her arm now, looking away with a heavy sigh.

"After everything we've been through...I wonder if life will ever be 'normal' for us again. I've reset this timeline so many times now, I'm not even sure what is 'real' anymore. And I made everyone suffer this nightmare over and over again. I...what am I going to tell everyone? I can't face them..."

Asriel looked up towards the ceiling, giving a heavy sigh of his own. They were both wise beyond their years because of everything that happened between them, the resets for Frisk and the years of silent suffering for Flowey.

"I don't know Frisk, I'm in the same boat as you, trying to figure out what I'm going to tell everyone...but you know, maybe it's better if we don't tell them. We confessed the things we did to ourselves and our parents, that should be good enough, right? The others don't need to know, it would only confuse and hurt them in they knew the truth. Chara was right about one thing, sometimes it's better not to say anything. In this case, ignorance is bliss, right? I-I know that makes me sound like a coward, but..."

Frisk got out of bed now and stood in front of Asriel, setting her pie down on the night stand. She took Asriels hands and held them up.

"No, it doesn't. You're right. Mom and Asgore know the truth, so it's not just us. And we had a reason to tell them. There's no reason the others need to know, it would only hurt them. I'm done meddling with things best left alone."

He looked at her now, smiling in return.

"Yeah, me too! I just want to live a normal life now, or at least try to, for both of us. It's what Chara would want."

Frisk nodded, but suddenly looked away in disappointment. Asriel cocked his head in confusion.

"W-what's wrong Frisk?"

There was someone who was still left out, someone who deserved to be here, and Frisk felt awful that she couldn't make it happen in the end. Or so she thought.

"I just...I wish I could have saved Chara too...I wish she was here with us."

Asriel leapt out of bed and gently brought a hand up to Frisks face, turning her gaze back to his. He gave her a look of warmth and reassurance, touching his other hand to his heart.

"She IS here with us, Frisk. She always has been. And you DID save her. You just don't know it yet."

"Azzy..."

It took a moment for Frisk to understand what he meant, but then she remembered what she felt before, when she initially gave up her SOUL to save Asriel. Seeing through his eyes, feeling everything he felt, for every second of that brief out-of-body experience. And since Chara gave up her SOUL in Frisks place, not only saving her best friend, but Frisk as well, that meant that Chara must be experiencing what Frisk felt before as well, seeing, feeling and experiencing everything Asriel did, living on vicariously through her dear brother now, even if she couldn't tell them in person.

Frisk DID save Chara, and only now did she realize it, what she had truly accomplished, what THEY had accomplished. She smiled with renewed confidence and joy.

"Yeah, you're right."

She grabbed Asriels hand and pulled him towards the door.

"Come on, let's see if anyone else is awake."

They slowly opened the door, careful not to make too much noise. The rest of the house was dark and silent, except for the persistent sound of snoring coming from the living room. It had to be Sans. They slowly tiptoe'd their way towards the living room, with Asriel noting that Frisk was making much more noise than she realized.

"Your shoes, Frisk. They're really squeaky."

She shook her head, looking down at her tiny boots.

"Sorry. But now that you mention it, I haven't seen you or your parents wear shoes this whole time."

Asriel lifted one of his furry paws, wiggling it around.

"Well, our feet are pretty tough, even on rugged terrain, so we never really had a need for shoes. I could probably walk through the entire Underground and not get so much as a scratch. And our fur keeps us both warm and cool at the same time, even in extreme climates. So for that matter we don't really need much in the way of clothes either, other than for social decency. What Mom and Dad wear is...or, rather WAS, mostly a formality."

His little lecture brought another question to mind.

"Speaking of fur, what's it like?"

He slapped his own forehead at that question.

"Oh, it clogs everything. Dad had to clean the pipes all the time because of it, and it has a tendency to clump and tangle if it's not taken care of properly, especially when it gets wet. You should see how it poofs up when blow-dried. Also, summertime is the worst because of shedding, even down here in the Underground. The house becomes a white mess. But it's not all bad."

She nodded in agreement.

"Yeah, it's really soft, and looks pretty too."

He giggled in response.

"Haha, yeah I guess. But trust me, you'd get tired of it after one day, so don't be too envious. It's not fun accidentally sitting on your tail either."

They had to hover their hands over their mouths to contain their laughter as they peeked around the corner.

Everyone was still asleep, and to their surprise, it was ALPHYS who was snoring, laying against Undynes chest, using her as a makeshift pillow. The whole thing was utterly hilarious and it was all Frisk and Asriel could do to not burst out laughing.

Papyrus was flat on his face, soundless, probably dreaming about spaghetti. And Sans was...

"Wait a minute, where's Sans?"

Frisk said quietly.

"right behind you."

Both Frisk and Asriel jumped in surprise, careful not to raise their voice too high. The others didn't hear anything, thankfully. They turned around and there he was, leaning against the railing of the stairs.

"Don't scare us like that, Sans."

He shrugged.

"sorry."

"What time is it, anyway?"

"4:56 am."

Asriel responded with excitement.

"Oh, it's almost sunrise. We should get going soon then."

Sans held up his hand to calm him down.

"easy, fireball. asgore said he'd wake everyone at 5:00 AM. he's at the throne room right now, tending to the garden. he should be back any moment, and toriel should be up any time as well."

Frisk nodded.

"So, why are you up already then?"

He shrugged.

"eh, i don't really sleep for long periods of time. and it's a good thing that i am awake now, because i wanted to talk to you."

Frisk cocked her head.

"About what?"

Sans looked a little concerned now.

"well...i'm glad you survived the whole ordeal, first of all. when you told me what you were planning, i was so worried, so pissed off, i almost tried to stop you from doing it. i probably should have in hindsight. but it seems to have worked out for whatever godsent reason, and i'm glad you're back, both of you. it's just..."

Asriel spoke up now.

"Just what? What's wrong, Sans?"

He sighed with weary resignation.

"...well, i've been in this position so many times now, i've sort of given up on ever seeing the surface, because each time..."

Frisk immediately knew what he was talking about. It wasn't the first time he had mentioned it, after all.

"Oh, that. Well, good news, you don't have to worry about me resetting anymore. Seems I lost that ability when I...well, anyway, I don't have it anymore."

Sans looked up at her now with renewed hope.

"really? so...this is really happening?"

Frisk pondered that as well. The details of what exactly happened and why were still fuzzy to her. Looking back, Asriel was only able to regain his true form after absorbing the equivalent of seven human SOULs. Though she did not regret what she did for him at the time, it was unclear to her now, how exactly he was able to sustain his body with only a single human SOUL, even one as powerful as Charas. He was no longer in danger of becoming an Amalgamate with the power of Chara's SOUL helping to keep his DETERMINATION under control, but it made no sense to Frisk now, how he was able to maintain his form without reverting into Flowey, when he needed so much power to regain his true form in the first place.

Then Frisk realized, the power that she had before, the power to SAVE and RESET, maybe that was the key. After all, it was what allowed Frisk to confront Asriel when he became the God of Hyperdeath, after absorbing the equivalent of seven human SOULs. If Frisks DETERMINATION and her ability to SAVE and RESET was really that strong, strong enough to stand against the power of seven human SOULs, then even with just a single human SOUL, maybe it was enough for him. Maybe giving up that ability in the process, even if it was unintentional, was the catalyst that gave Asriel just enough power to maintain his form now.

 **Maybe with what little power you had left...you could SAVE something else**

Things suddenly made a lot more sense to Frisk. A newfound smile taking form on her face, Frisk nodded with resounding affirmation.

"Yeah, and honestly, even if I knew I still had that power, I wouldn't use it again anyway."

She put an arm around Asriel now.

"With Asriel back, there's no reason to reset anymore."

Asriel was on the brink of crying again.

"Frisk, c-come on. I'm really not worth that much trouble."

She threw out that notion immediately.

"You are to me. I told you before, it's not a happy ending without you."

He lost it. Immediately he put an arm around her shoulder and pulled her closer, nuzzling her cheek. She was blushing.

"AZZY! Cmon, not in front of him!"

"Haha, too late!"

Sans shrugged and briefly turned his head.

"eh, didn't really need to see or hear any of that, but anyway...you did good, both of you. i'm glad to have you both back. i don't even want to try to make sense of how all of this happened anymore, i'm just happy that things eventually turned out this way. i have no idea what i'm going to do now, though."

Asriel nodded at Sans.

"Yeah, me either."

Frisk reaffirmed them both.

"We'll figure that out when the time comes."

Footsteps from the hallway.

"Oh, you're all awake."

It was Toriel. She emerged from the darkness of the hallway into the low ambient lighting of the entrance, near the stairwell.

"not all of us, the others are still snoozing in the living room, but i can get some buckets of ice water if you'd like."

Frisk giggled at that thought.

"We thought YOU were the one snoring, Sans. Can't believe it was Alphys."

"oh man, you should hear my brother sometimes. his snoring has woken up the neighbors before. we lucked out tonight."

Toriel giggled at Sans suggestion.

"Nothing quite so dramatic, but it is time to wake everyone up. Sunrise is in less than 30 minutes."

Asgore emerged from the bottom of the stairwell now.

"Oh, good morning everyone."

Toriel nodded at the drowsy king.

"We should get everyone ready. Frisk, Asriel, why don't you go and gather your belongings for the journey. We'll be leaving shortly."

They both nodded.

"Okay!"

As they walked back to their room, Frisk stopped to give Toriel a hug.

"Thank you for the pie, Mom. I loved it."

Toriel smiled at hearing that and returned the embrace, gently patting Frisks head.

"You're very welcome, Frisk. Now I know what to make for you in the future."

Frisk smiled back, and followed a waiting Asriel to their room.

"well, i'll get everyone up then. don't worry, no ice water today."

Sans turned and walked back into the living room.

 **...**

Asgore climbed the stairs, stopping in front of Toriel. His expression was one of confusion and shock.

"What a long night. I think I took care of everything I needed to though. Everything except..."

Toriel gave him a look of bewilderment now. Something was wrong.

"Everything except what? You look like you've seen a ghost, Asgore."

Not that her assessment wasn't true in the slightest, given their situation, but it was far more than that now.

"Well...I went to check the coffins in the basement. I was going to give them all a proper burial before the night was over, but..."

Her confusion only magnified when he let his thought trail off.

"But what?"

"...they're empty. ALL of them."

That was the last thing Toriel was expecting to hear.

"WHAT!?"

She pushed Asgore out of the way and ran down the stairs, taking them two by two, being careful not to trip over herself. Asgore calmly followed her down to the basement, to the long room with the coffins. The coffins. Originally this room only had one coffin, to house Chara's body, but Toriel wanted better for Chara and took her body away from this place when she left Asgore, giving it a proper burial in the Ruins, beneath the only tree in the Ruins, the one that never held onto its leaves. Thereafter, Asgore used this room to entomb the children he slew after taking their souls, having at least enough decency to respect them in death. Toriel always meant to come back and give each of them a proper burial since she felt they deserved better, but eventually she became a recluse and never left the confines of the Ruins. But now...

...the coffins were open. Open and empty. The only one that held anything was the first one, with some old wrappings laying at the bottom. Charas coffin.

"Where are they, Asgore!?"

"I don't know! I came in here to tend to them, and they were all like this!"

She gave him a stern look, but his expression told her that he was being honest. They both gave a quick glance around the room before their gaze met each others again.

Suddenly...

"Asgore, you don't think..."

They were both hit with the same optimistic possibility. If what everything Asriel and Frisk had told them was true, that meant that Frisk had died, if only for a few moments, and came back to life when Asriel returned her SOUL to her, after Chara stepped in to give Asriel her SOUL in Frisks stead. Asriel released the SOULs of everyone after cracking the barrier, including the six fallen humans. Could that really have meant that the six fallen humans came back to life too, their SOULs finally free after so long? Could they really have returned to their bodies after all this time? It seemed ridiculous, given that their bodies would have been nothing but bones and mummified flesh at this point. Also, their families would have long since moved on by now. Would they really have a home to return to after all this time?

Then again, the human SOUL was an enormous mystery to both human and monsterkind, even now. And after everything that had happened over the last 24 hours, Toriel and Asgore were willing to open their minds to just about anything at this point. Whether or not it was true, that the fallen children came back to life and left the mountain, neither of them knew, but given everything that had happened, that possibility was relatively tame in comparison, and it was the only explanation that made any sense to them.

 **DETERMINATION**. It was a powerful force indeed.

A feeling of calming peace came over Asgore in that moment. Their childrens efforts had apparently accomplished far more than they had realized. He still felt guilty over what he had done, as he should, but at least now he was beginning to feel like he had some degree of absolution, knowing that the damage left in his grief was somewhat undone now, and by his own children no less.

They looked at each other with serene optimism now. Asgore took his spouses hands into his own, and together they turned, gazing out through the doorway. Neither of them knew if what they had assumed was really the case, but what Asgore said now was fitting in either regard.

"I hope they make it home."

...

Asriel was traveling light and he was intent on only bringing a few important things. The photo of Chara, his camera, and some drawing and writing supplies. He was looking for one other thing, but could not find it, and assumed his parents already had it.

Frisk put her napsack around her waist now, having finally finished the last of her pie. She motioned Asriel to put his belongings in her bag.

"Are you sure about this? I have plenty of room for more."

Asriel nodded.

"Yeah, I won't really miss most of this stuff. These are the things that are important to me. What about you?"

Frisk glanced over her few meager belongings.

"Mementos, mostly, from my adventure here. A little leftover money too, maybe 100g or so. If this is real gold, it's probably gonna be worth a lot more on the surface. Maybe even enough to buy a home somewhere."

Asriel gave Frisk a funny look.

"You should see how much money Mom and Dad have stashed away. It'd probably be enough to buy an entire city on the surface if that's true."

Another thought came to Frisks mind, something she meant to inquire about earlier.

"By the way Azzy, I wanted to ask you earlier, are you still able to use any magic?"

He nodded, conjuring a small star in his hand.

"Of course, I was born with that ability after all. I didn't know it was there until Mom showed me, though, and she taught me how to control it little by little over the years. But it's nowhere near as strong as...well, as it was earlier. And both Mom and Dad are far better at it than I am."

Another funny look appeared on his face.

"Why do you ask?"

"Well, I was just wondering if it was something I could learn eventually. I guess I would had to have been born with the gift, the way you describe it. Oh well, I don't know what I would ever use it for anyway. I just think yours looks really cool."

Asriel started blushing a little. Chara always thought his magic looked kind of silly.

"Haha, well thanks! If you're wondering why my magic takes on the form of stars and colors, it's because magic itself is tied to the emotion and creativity of the one who conjures it. I always thought stars and rainbows were cool, as dumb as that sounds."

Frisk smiled at him. It wasn't dumb to her. The names he gave his spells may have been a little lame but the magic itself was fascinating to her.

"Honestly, I'm not sure if you have to be born with such an ability or not. It might have something to do with the fact that monsters are made of magic to begin with. But if you're interested, I could try to teach you some magic at a later time. You never know, stranger things have happened."

Frisk nodded excitedly.

"Okay! I'll hold you to that."

...

They stopped at the top of the stairs.

"I still can't believe everything that has happened."

Toriel nodded in agreement. They were both still at a point where they were trying to process the events of the last 24 hours, but slowly things were coming into focus for both of them.

"Do you...think we should tell them, Toriel?"

She thought long and hard about that for one moment.

"...no, I think it's best not to say anything. They're both sorting through a lot of guilt right now, and it would only be adding to their burden. They probably already know anyway. They would feel it in their hearts if nothing else. Right now they need us to be strong for them if they're...if WE'RE going to get past this."

Toriel felt like she wasn't beyond blame in this regard either. Had she stayed with Asgore instead of walking out on him when he needed her the most, she might have been able to convince him that what he was planning to do was wrong. She might have been able to stop it from ever happening at all. So she felt like she had to share some of the responsibility of what happened, even if things had finally been set right.

But, on the other side of the coin, none of this would have happened had Asgore not done what he did. Asriel would not be alive and healthy, the Barrier would not be broken, and monsters would still be trapped here. Neither one of them were in a position to explain what had happened, how things turned out this way, but things can only get so bad before they have to start getting better. Maybe that's what this was, the turning point. And they both resolved to accept it for what it was and make the most of it, what they were given back. Their family. Their freedom.

"Yes, you're right. I can't take back what I did, but I will do everything in my power from this day forward to atone for it, to make it right, for my sake, our people, and theirs as well."

Toriel nodded, expecting nothing less from the fallen king, her former husband. Asgore reached into his pockets now, pulling out the trinket that Toriel was still scouring the house for.

"Here, you wanted this, right?"

Toriel held out her hand as he dropped the item in question into her waiting palm. It was another heart locket, but this one was yellow in color, the same as the buttercups in the throne room. This one belonged to Asriel.

"Oh, thank you. I've been looking for this. Asriel was probably wondering where this was too."

She took the other locket out of her pockets now, the one that belonged to Chara, comparing them side by side.

"His idea was so sweet though. It'll take me a while, but I think they'll be happy when the time comes...even if she doesn't stay."

She gently placed both lockets back in the depths of her robes.

"By the way, do we have a camera anywhere?"

He pointed down the hall.

"Should be one in Asriels room still. He'll probably end up packing it but you should ask him, just incase. You should pack anything you need too."

"I don't think I need anything here. In all honesty, I'm ready to move on from this life and start anew."

Asgore nodded. Then he pulled out a small gilded pouch.

"Here, take this too."

Toriel held out her hand to accept the small pouch. She gave it a shake, and the metal jingling inside was a telltale clue.

"There's about 10,000g inside. I have more than enough for myself still, don't worry."

The pouch was enchanted with magic to make it smaller and lighter for easy concealment. In reality, the huge cache of gold inside would be enough to fill a large vault.

Toriel looked at him with reluctance.

"Asgore...I can't accept this."

He shook his head.

"Don't worry about it. From what I've heard, gold is a very valuable resource on the surface so this should give you a good financial foothold if the rumors are true. Use it to establish a new life with them, our children. Find a place to call home, somewhere they can play outside, go to school, make friends...somewhere they can be normal kids."

She looked at him again, then nodded and placed the pouch in her robes.

"What about you?"

"I...I can't stay with you. I have to be an ambassador for our people now, spread the word that we seek peace with the humans. I was hoping to ask Frisk to take up that mantle, but that's too much of a burden for any child. She's already done enough for us."

Toriel looked away in disappointment now.

"I'll visit as often as I can. I want to be involved in their life as much as possible. But this is something I have to do if our two great races are ever going to be able to coexist in peace."

"I...I know. I understand."

She pondered her future for a moment.

"Well, I've always wanted to be a teacher, maybe this is my chance."

He took her hands now, kissing them affectionately. She flashed a shy look at Asgore and was visibly blushing.

"I know they're in good hands with you. You're a great person, and I took it for granted once. Never again."

He stepped away, gazing upon his wifes beauty.

"Well, I'll go see to our guests. You should go and check on the kids, help them with whatever they want to bring. We don't want to miss our first sunrise together."

Toriel nodded with a smile.

"All right then."

She turned and walked down the hall, towards the childrens room.

...

A knock on the door.

"Come in."

The door opened. Toriel was standing in the open frame.

"Asriel, do you happen to have a camera?"

"Yeah, I already packed it, along with Charas picture."

Toriel nodded excitedly.

"Okay, good. It's time to go then. Are you both ready?"

They both nodded at each other, and then at Toriel.

"Ready!"

"Let's go see our friends then."

Toriel held the door open as they secured their belongings, stepping out into the hallway. They both walked side by side towards the stairwell as Toriel flicked the light off and closed the door to their room, following closely behind.

Everyone was waiting at the stairwell. Undyne was groggy, no surprise there.

"Dammit, Alphys. You snore worse than me."

"Y-yeah, sorry. I didn't have my sinus medication with me."

"at least my brother didn't snore last night. seriously, we've had people knock on our door at 3 in the morning, telling him to shut up."

"THEY'RE JUST JEALOUS OF MY TALENTS! NYEHEHEHEHEHEH!"

"sure, if violation of noise ordinances counts as a talent. next time it'll be torches and pitchforks."

Asgore took the lead in front of the stairwell.

"Okay, follow me everyone."

 **...**

As the group emerged from the newly-opened mountain entrance, Frisk noticed that the light of new day was already cresting the horizon. It was only seconds away now. Asriel ran to the edge of the cliff, beckoning everyone to join him. Frisk stood beside him on the far left while Toriel stood to his right, and everyone else lined up beside them for the show.

"Perfect timing. Brace yourself, Azzy."

A few seconds later, the first glare of sunlight emerged over the distant mountains, its fiery blaze slowly casting everything in its golden light. It was blinding at first, and everyone had to shield their eyes momentarily to adjust, but as the sun crept higher and higher, everyone just stared in amazement, feeling its warmth for the first time.

Asriel was completely mesmerized at this point.

"It's...it's as beautiful as I thought it would be."

They stood like this for at least an hour. The sky was a clear blue, not a cloud in sight.

"I'm more of a sunset person myself. We have to see one of those together too, Azzy."

He smiled at that thought, grabbing hold of her hand as soon as she said that.

"Yeah, maybe tonight!"

Even Sans let his emotions flow in this moment too.

"man, i never thought i'd see this. it feels...awesome. i could wake up every day for this."

"HE'LL BE BORED OF THIS IN NO TIME! LOOK, HE'S EVEN WEARING SLIPPERS STILL!"

Sans elbowed his brother in the side.

"guilty as charged. should have brought my sneakers."

Toriel reassured him.

"We can always come back to collect anything we might need."

There was still a sort of elephant in the room that everybody was missing, or didn't care to address. Nobody knew what to do at this point, and Undyne was the first one to say anything about it.

"Well, we're free, but what now?"

Asgore sighed, looking into the distance. Asriel took notice immediately.

"What's wrong, Dad?"

"I...I have to go."

Asriel flashed him a look of hurt.

"W-WHAT!? But WHY?"

"Well, I..."

Toriel could see how hard this was for both of them, and attempted to interject on Asgores behalf.

"He has to be an ambassador for our people now. He has to meet with the leaders of the human race, to try and establish peaceful relations between the humans and monsters."

Asgore nodded.

"Yes. It's going to be a tense period for our races as we attempt to re-integrate with humanity. I need to be on the forefront of diplomacy to let the humans know that we mean them no harm, that we seek a peaceful and mutual coexistence with them. I...well, I was going to ask YOU to be our ambassador, Frisk, but...you've done so much already. I cannot ask that of you."

Frisk gave Asgore a smile of reassurance.

"It's alright. I wouldn't mind doing it. It's just...I don't really know HOW to be an ambassador. I really don't know or even care anything about human politics."

Asgore smiled back.

"Hehe, yes, and I'd rather see you and my son doing kids things. Playing outside, going to school, having fun."

Asriel was disappointed, but he was old enough and wise enough to see the bigger picture. He fought back the tears this time, taking the news in stride.

"I...I understand, Dad. I'll miss you though."

Frisk and Toriel nodded at his sentiments.

"So will we."

Undyne was concerned as well, and, remembering her vows, now knew what her future entailed too.

"Well, if that's your plan then I guess I'm going with you, Asgore. As a former member of the Royal Guard, it is my sworn duty to protect you from harm, until death claims me."

Asgore looked at Undyne with reluctance.

"Undyne, we seek peaceful relations with the humans. What will it say about us if I attempt to reach out to their leaders with an armed escort at my side?"

Undyne was adamant about her position though.

"I don't need a weapon. My fists are more than enough if anyone chooses to mess with either of us."

She chuckled. Classic Undyne.

"Besides, what if you get in trouble? Who's gonna be there to save you? Even though you seek peaceful relations with the humans, not all of them may feel the same way. Some of them may be hostile, some of them may even react violently towards you. I can't let you face that kind of danger alone."

Toriel nodded in agreement.

"She's right. You should take her with you, for company on the road at least."

Alphys spoke up as well, now knowing what her future entailed.

"If Undyne is going, then I'm going too. As a scientist, my skills and knowledge might be useful on such an endeavor. After all the bad I've done, it...it would be nice to put my skills to use for something good."

Asgore still looked reluctant to say yes, but he knew he wasn't going to win this argument. And the idea of having the company of friends sounded pleasant to him.

"Well, I...alright, you win. It will be nice to not have to travel alone. But remember Undyne, we seek PEACE with the humans. Violence must only be a last resort."

Frisk gave a chuckle under her breath.

Undyne nodded.

"I understand. If there's anything I've learned from Frisk, it's that you don't always have to be violent to resolve something."

 _Gee, I wonder where they got THAT idea from..._

Papyrus looked a little disappointed though and sighed to himself.

"TOO BAD! I WAS LOOKING FORWARD TO THOSE COOKING LESSONS TOO!"

Alphys had an answer to that.

"You guys DO know what the Internet is, right? The humans must have it too. Why don't you guys just stay connected via voice calls or even webcams? It's easy, I'll show you both how."

Sans spoke up now.

"yeah, i can show papyrus too, once we settle in somewhere."

Undyne responded with excitement.

"Really!? Well then, looks like we're still on, Papyrus. You'd better be ready every weekend because I am going to train the hell out of you."

Papyrus screamed in sheer joy.

"YEAH I CAN'T WAIT! WATCH OUT WORLD, HERE COMES THE GREAT MASTER CHEF PAPYRUS!"

Alphys snapped her head in surprise, as if she had just remembered something urgent.

"Oh! By the way. I replaced Mettatons batteries while Frisk was away yesterday. He left without saying goodbye, something about wanting to meet his fans and giving them all a fantastic encore. Frisk and I know what that means, having been on three of his shows already, so don't be surprised if you see him on television soon. He could even become an internet phenomenon."

Frisk was a little sick at that thought.

"I am NOT tuning in for that show. I've had enough brushes with death in this life time."

Alphys laughed.

"YEAH ME EITHER!"

Asgore spoke up with renewed enthusiasm about the future.

"Well, I guess I can stay in touch with you guys even from far away then. I'll contact you all every day!"

Toriel nodded happily.

"We'll look forward to it."

Asriel jumped with glee.

"YEAH! I'm gonna hold you to your promise to visit though!"

Asgore smiled.

"As often as I can."

He knelt down and beckoned his son over for a hug. Asriel ran to him immediately as his arms closed around him. Frisk crossed her arms together, giving him a smile and a wink, and Toriel walked up to him as this was going on to give him a farewell kiss on the cheek.

"Be safe on your travels."

They pulled away from each other. Asgore nodded at Toriel, then at the kids, and beckoned Undyne and Alphys to join him.

"Alright then, we're off. See you soon."

Toriel, Frisk and Asriel waved goodbye as the traveling trio made their way down the mountain side, until they disappeared from sight.

Toriel took Asriels hand, bringing it up to her face to nuzzle, and reassured him gently.

"We'll see him again soon, don't worry."

Asriel smiled.

"I know."

Papyrus was ready to see the world now. He could contain his anxiety no longer. There was a small village directly in front of them, not far from the base of the mountain, but of greater interest to him was the looming city in the distance. He figured that was as good of a place as any to start.

"I'M OFF TOO! TIME TO SEE WHAT LIFE ON THE SURFACE IS ALL ABOUT! I THINK I'LL START WITH THAT BIG CITY WAY OVER THERE! CYA GUYS!"

And he wandered off in the same direction as the others.

"uh oh."

Sans expressed concern for his brother.

"guess i'd better follow him and make sure he doesn't get into trouble. we've gotta find a new place to call home now, too."

And he started walking away, in the opposite direction Papyrus and the others were going.

 _Haha, same old Sans._

Toriel called out to him.

"Wait, will we see you guys again?"

Sans turned and nodded.

"oh yeah, i'm sure we'll find you guys again. as i understand it, it's a small world. i have your cell number still too, so don't worry."

She nodded.

"Okay, take care then!"

He nodded back and, with hands in pockets, began his descent down the other path.

 **...**

Toriel looked around. It was just her, Asriel and Frisk now.

"Well, it seems everyone has left."

Asriel nodded.

"So what do we do now?"

Toriel looked a little worried, and Asriel picked up on it quickly.

"Mom? What's wrong?"

She shook her head.

"Oh, it's nothing, I just..."

Both Asriel and Frisk cocked their heads at her in confusion. She knew she couldn't hide her feelings any longer.

"Well...Frisk, you came from somewhere on the surface, right?"

Frisk nodded, gazing out across the land.

"Yeah, though I can't remember where. I honestly don't remember anything before the fall. I could have come from that village down below, or maybe that big city further in the distance, or somewhere else entirely. I just don't know anymore."

Toriel reluctantly followed up her inquiry.

"So that means your parents...your biological parents I mean, are out there somewhere too?"

Frisk was a little bit uncomfortable, not by the question itself, but the way it was put to her. She felt like Toriel and Asgore were her parents now, but she couldn't shake her feelings about her past or her birth parents, not knowing who they are. Her earlier conversation with Asriel at the flower bed quickly resurfaced bad thoughts.

"...yeah, I guess they are. I don't remember anything about them either though, what they look like, where they could be, nothing. I don't even have a picture or a memento of some kind to remind me of them."

Toriel sympathized with Frisk, lowering her head in regret.

"I see...I'm very sorry to hear that. And I'm sorry for asking such a difficult question, I didn't mean to..."

She looked away from Frisk now, on the brink of crying, fearing that she knew what was coming. Frisk reassured her though.

"No, it's okay. Don't worry about it. I've been asking myself the same question since yesterday."

Toriel nodded, feeling a little better, but she was still uncomfortable, bracing herself for the worst.

"So, what will you do now? I imagine you probably want to leave, to go find them..."

To Toriels surprise, Asriel felt the same way about Frisks situation, and took it much better than she had anticipated.

"...yeah, I can't imagine what that must feel like. I'd probably want to leave too if I were in your shoes, Frisk. "

Frisk looked down at the village below, their words giving her serious pause.

"I've thought about this for a while actually. It's true, it does hurt, not knowing who they are or where I come from. Part of me DOES want to leave, to go find them."

Both Asriel and Toriel nodded reluctantly at Frisk, not wanting to let her go, but not wanting to stop her either.

Except...

"But there's another part of me, a much bigger part, that reminds me of all the friends I've made, what this journey was for, and what I found at the end of it. And it's urging me to stay."

They looked at Frisk with surprise now. Frisk was staring directly into Asriels eyes, but her words were directed at Toriel.

"And besides, I made a promise to someone very important to me. And I REFUSE to break that promise, now or ever."

Asriel knew she was talking about him. Frisk walked up to both of them now and took both of their hands into her own. They were emotionally touched by Frisks feelings and their hands were shaking in her gentle grasp.

"I-I know I have no right to ask this after what I've done to you, but, well...would it be okay if I...if I..."

Toriel dropped to her knees immediately and enveloped Frisk in the biggest hug she could give, lifting her clean off the ground. She was in tears by this point, beyond happy to hear what Frisk was asking.

"OF COURSE YOU CAN STAY WITH US, FRISK!"

Now Frisk was the one crying, burying her face into Toriels robes as the fabric absorbed her tears.

Asriel joined in their embrace now, putting one arm around Frisk and another around Toriel as she pulled him in closer. They stayed like this for several minutes before Toriel finally pulled away to speak her true feelings.

"It's so funny, Frisk. If you had just said that earlier, then Asriel wouldn't be here with us now, and none of this would have happened. I can't believe how fortunate we are, knowing how things could have been so different, but I'm so glad that things happened this way."

Asriel agreed completely, a bawling mess again. He wasn't kidding when he said he was a crybaby, but Frisk admired him for it, being honest with himself and his feelings. Strangely, it really showed his strength of character.

"I wouldn't have let you go anyway, sis! I would've chased after you and dragged you back, like yesterday."

Frisk started blushing again. Asriel really wasn't shy or bashful about sharing his feelings.

"Azzy...well, I guess I'm not leaving anytime soon then, heh."

He hugged her even tighter now, ruffling her hair.

 _Ouch._

"NOPE! There is no escape from the legendary Hugmaster! I'll NEVER let you go, Frisk! You're stuck with me forever and ever!"

Frisk giggled at his sentiments. He was only playing around, but she loved seeing him be his happy, dorky self. She immediately knew where he got the idea for that nickname though.

"Haha, stealing a page from Sans book already, huh? You're such a dork, Azzy!"

He finally let go, howling with laughter in response. Toriel knobbed her hands around her eyes, trying to drive away the tears.

"Oh, I do wish Asgore had stayed to see all of that."

Frisk immediately remembered something upon hearing those words, catching the tail end of the thought that popped into her mind right before Sans left.

"OH WAIT!"

She dug into her napsack, pulling out the cellphone that Toriel gave her a while back, the one that Alphys upgraded for her.

"I still have everyone in my contacts. I don't know about Undyne, but Alphys has her phone still, so as long as she's with Asgore, we can talk to him any time we want!"

Toriel and Asriel looked at Frisk excitedly.

"REALLY!? AWESOME!"

"Wonderful, Frisk! We'll call him tomorrow then."

They both nodded enthusiastically at her. Frisk now gazed out at the huge city in the distance.

"Okay, so back to Azzys question. What do we do now?"

Toriels attention had been drawn to the village below, and it seemed like a promising place to start, even though it was the same place where Asriel was mortally wounded so long ago. It was Chara's home town and he felt somewhat uncomfortable returning to the place where all of this had happened, but that was a long time ago. He knew that he could only truly overcome his personal demons if he confronted them, and knowing that Frisk and Toriel were by his side this time, and that Chara was at least with him in spirit, gave him the courage to do just that.

"Well, let's just make it down the mountain to start and see what happens."

With nothing better to suggest, all parties nodded in agreement and Toriel held our her hands. Asriel took one, Frisk took the other, and with a share of smiles between each other, they began their descent down the mountain, towards the village, to finally see what life on the surface was all about. Though she was a great parent in the past, Toriel was faced with a huge responsibility once again, the task of raising two kids, and she could only do it right if they were grounded somewhere.

They were all looking for the same thing, a place to call home, and as they made their way down the mountain, their thoughts all turned to what the future had in store for them. Only time would tell, but as they made their way down to the village below, Frisk reflected on one particular thought, a placard she read in Waterfall foreshadowing a prophecy that, having now saved Asriel too, had at long last been fulfilled.

 **The Underground went free.**


	11. Epilogue - New Beginnings

Nearly six months have passed since Asriel was reunited with his family and everyone began their new lives on the surface.

While it'd be nice to say that everything was all hunky dory right from the start, unfortunately life just doesn't work that way most of the time. There were some tough first days for the family, not financially, but mostly a byproduct of human animosity towards monsters as they had just begun to reintegrate with life on the surface, and the rest just a consequence of their guilt over the past.

Their first and only stop was the village at the base of Mount Ebott, known as Ebott Village, obviously named after the mountain that shadowed it. Apparently the humans were no better at naming things than Asgore, and Frisk suddenly knew where Asriel got his general lack of creativity from (she would never tell him that though). Initially the inhabitants here were apprehensive and even hostile to a certain extent, even in the presence of a human child (despite Frisk portraying monsters, and especially her friends, in a positive light), which frightened Asriel terribly (he had been to this village once before, when he carried Chara's body across the barrier), and Toriel had considered simply moving on somewhere else. None of the humans seemed to recognize Frisk either, so it was a safe bet that Frisk was a stranger to this village and had never been here before.

Frisk insisted on giving the humans a fair chance though, as she had given the monsters theirs, and not wanting to stray too far from their old home, they decided to stay. It was Charas home town, and it was close to the mountain, so they could return to the Underground if necessary, and that was good enough for them. There was a vacant house for sale in the outskirts of the village, away from the residents, and the money that Asgore left them with was indeed worth much more on the surface.

They bought the house with over 9,000g to spare, a little of which was used to buy furnishings and everyday necessities. Some of it was exchanged for surface currency (paper money) most of it was saved and stored away for the future, and Frisk shared her leftover money with Asriel (about 50g), having little to spend it on other than insubstantial trinkets for herself. Asriel knew exactly what he was going to put this towards, however.

Things started out sour with the local residents once they had moved in. A few monsters had already settled in town, having migrated from the Underground before the Dreemurrs left so they weren't the only monsters in the vicinity, which helped ease the tension a little bit. Though there was no apprehension among the inhabitants towards Frisk herself, the residents tended to ignore the other two, and they weren't allowed in any of the town stores, meaning Frisk had to take care of most of the family errands herself. Toriel was ever watchful during the first nights, making sure nobody came to harm them, but thankfully the tension between races never turned into outright hostility. It might have been a different story if the Dreemurrs were the only ones in the village

Six weeks had passed, and, with Asgores talk of peace between races spreading fast (and a personal trip to the village himself, wanting to make good on his promise to visit and spend time with the kids) and more and more monsters taking up residence in and around the village, most of the human residents eventually saw that the monsters meant no ill will towards them, and soon took a more positive outlook on them. Before long, they were treated better. Within about three months, even Asriel and Toriel were able to fraternize with the human locals, though they mostly stuck to their own kind.

Asriel had problems of his own at the time though. He was initially uncomfortable being so close to the very place that he had died once before, but thankfully none of the village residents seemed to recognize him or react with any hostility to him. Not that he could really blame them at the time, seeing as he was carrying the corpse of a child in the heart of their village. It was easy to see why the people reacted in a hostile manner back then and he held no grudge against anyone.

His guilt was a bigger hurdle to overcome, and many of his nights were sleepless and often fraught with nightmares about his past. Nightmares about the horrible things his alter-ego Flowey committed. Nightmares about being left behind by his friends, forever trapped in that empty shell. Sometimes he would wake up screaming in the wee hours of the morning...

 **"NOOOOOOO! DON'T GO! PLEASE!"**

 **His piercing cry jolted Frisk out of her sleep. She jumped out of bed immediately and ran over to help her thrashing brother.**

 **"ASRIEL, IT'S JUST A BAD DREAM! COME ON, WAKE UP!"**

 **Frisk stood there shaking her friend violently, trying to snap him out of his fugue. Finally he came to his senses and opened his eyes, realizing where he was. He stared directly into Frisks eyes.**

 **"Frisk! I-I...I was Flowey again, and you were gonna...I thought you would..."**

 **He threw his arms around her and pulled her closer, sobbing as he did.**

 **"Shhhhhh, it's okay Azzy. It's okay. I'd never leave you behind. Never. You know that."**

 **She gently rubbed his back in a desperate attempt to comfort him. Toriel barged in seconds later, clearly worried about her son.**

 **"What happened!? Are you okay children?"**

 **Frisk nodded, still trying to console a nearly catatonic Asriel.**

 **"He's okay, it was just a bad dream."**

 **Toriel sighed with relief, kneeling by her sons bedside to help comfort him. His fur was matted and clumped and his sheets were nearly soaked with tears and sweat.**

 **"I'm scared...I don't want to go to sleep again."**

 **Frisk sat on the bed and took his hand.**

 **"It's okay. I'll stay up with you, Azzy. I'm not going anywhere."**

 **He nodded, trying to wipe away his tears, his other hand still in Frisks.**

 **"T-thank you, Frisk."**

 **...**

...and other nights he just wouldn't sleep at all, terrified of having another nightmare. Frisk caught him on one such night, sitting up in his bed, staring out the window.

 **...**

 **"Are you okay, Azzy?"**

 **He looked over at her from the other side of the room. He was clearly bothered by something.**

 **"Frisk...can I ask you something?"**

 **She cocked her head in bewilderment.**

 **"What is it?"**

 **"...did it...when I...when you..."**

 **He wasn't making much sense.**

 **"Did it what? What's wrong?"**

 **He was trying to fight back the tears, but it was a hard thing to do. He felt so ashamed. She walked over and sat with him on his bed.**

 **"Did it...hurt? When I took your..."**

 **She interrupted his thoughts, grabbing his hands and shaking them. Now she realized why he was struggling so much with his inquiry, but her answer gave him at least some comfort.**

 **"It didn't hurt at all, Azzy. Honestly, it was quicker than falling asleep. I was afraid up until that moment, thinking it would be painful, terrified of what would be waiting for me on the other side, but when it actually happened and our SOULs combined, it was so peaceful. And after it happened and you regained consciousness, I saw through your eyes. I felt your joy when you got to see Chara again. I was so... happy. Happy that I was finally able to make a difference."**

 **He smiled a little at hearing that.**

 **"But now...seeing you like this...seeing how hard this whole ordeal has been on you..."**

 **Now he was the one staring in confusion.**

 **"Frisk...?"**

 **Frisk looked away in regret.**

 **"I...I'm sorry Azzy. I feel like it's all my fault, everything you're going through. I feel like all I've done is caused you and Chara and everyone else more pain in the end, and I..."**

 **Asriel suddenly grabbed her hands mid-sentence to stop her.**

 **"NO! That's not true, Frisk! Don't you EVER tell yourself that! You were there for us when we needed you the most! It's because of you and Chara that I'm here, right now, living on the surface with you and everyone else! It...it is hard sometimes, I admit it, facing up to what I did, trying to put it behind me, but...but I'm glad that I have that chance. I'm glad that I am here, with you and everyone else. I'm glad that I'm alive, I'm glad that Chara is at peace, I'm glad that my friends are happy, and..."**

 **Without warning, he leapt out of bed and cannonballed into Frisk, nearly sending her to the floor. Her pajamas were soon to be the next victim of Asriels claws and his spine-gouging hugs.**

 **"...and I'm glad that I have a friend like you, Frisk."**

 **"Azzy..."**

 **Now Frisk was the one crying. She hesitantly put her arms around Asriel to return the hug.**

 **"...me too. We'll get through it together, Azzy. We'll make it up to everyone. I promise."**

It was a difficult thing to put behind him and he seriously questioned if he was capable of returning to a normal, happy life at times, if he could really put the past behind him. And he was still worried that he would wake up one day and he would be a flower again. That everything would be taken from him again. That this was all just a torturous window to the good life. Some days he just sat on his bed, waiting for the inevitable to happen, terrified, certain that this was all just a cruel charade. He waited. And he waited. And he waited.

But it never happened.

Frisk never gave up on him. She was at his side during every moment to reassure and comfort him, staying up with him, consoling him and even reading to him until he fell asleep again, even if it meant a sleepless night for her. It was a rough time for both of them, but Frisks love and faith in Asriel inspired him and gave him DETERMINATION, even in the darkest moments. And even though he knew his body wasn't real (to be fair, this was technically true of ALL monsters, being that they were made almost entirely of magic), his SOUL was. And he knew that what he felt on the inside, his memories, his love for his family and friends, Charas presence giving him support...that WAS real. And that helped him to move forward.

Thankfully, as time passed, he got better. The nightmares decreased in frequency until they were only periodic. He swore an oath to Frisk to always talk about his feelings if something was bothering him, and so far he has made good on that promise. Things have gotten much better for him since, and at least by all outward appearances, he's a happy monster child now. He may still struggle with his past from time to time, but he's open about now it and not afraid to face the day anymore.

It was around this time that Asriel attempted to make good on his earlier promise to try and teach Frisk how to use magic, now that things had settled down in their lives. Unfortunately it was evident after only a few lessons that there was far more to magic than knowledge alone could account for, and despite her efforts and her enthusiasm, Frisk demonstrated no potential in the art. She never successfully cast any sort of spell. She wasn't too disappointed by her failure though, she didn't really have any practical use for such a thing, and it made Asriel and Toriels abilities that much more special to her, so much so that Asriel was always flattered by her admiration. They rarely used it in any form after leaving the mountain, but Asriel occasionally put on a magical display of stars and colors just to entertain his sister, who always sat and watched with glee.

As for Toriel, she made good on her desire to pursue her lifelong dream, and after talks with the mayor, two months and 2,000g later, opened up a school in the outskirts of Ebott Village, close to home. The school was open to both humans and monsters alike, though it was almost exclusively attended by monsters (Monster Kid himself being the first student), most humans not wanting their children to mingle with members of the other race. Some animosity and tension between the races was inevitable, but for the most part things were civil. The school ended up being successful, nevertheless, and the money Toriel brought home was more than enough to support the family comfortably.

Frisk was one of the few humans to attend Toriels school (by choice), sharing mostly the same classes with Asriel, though different extracurricular activities (Soccer for Asriel, Dodgeball for Frisk), and Toriel served as both a teacher (Literature) and the Principle. They both loved school and got high grades in their classes consistently, tutoring each other in their weakest subjects (Math for Asriel, History for Frisk). They've been attending for nearly three months now, and they spent every lunch and recess together, and though they made friends, lots of them in fact, they still preferred each others company most of the time. The two became practically inseparable. One might even think they had a crush on one another or something, but in fact there were no romantic feelings between the two of them whatsoever. Their relationship was completely platonic, a love born of friendship and a familial bond.

Each day Frisk and Asriel walked home from school they passed by the bed of golden flowers near the center of the village, even though it was quite out of the way. Asriel felt a twinge of calming peace whenever his eyes fell on the village flowers, and he knew it was Charas happiness that he was feeling, remembering that it was her last request in the days long ago. Asriel took a few seeds from these flowers and started a new garden of his own at home, in honor of his friends memory, and the family had a picnic once a week in this spot.

Funny enough, it wasn't long before Papyrus came around to visit, having seen a lot of the surface in his travels (and fed up with his red convertable always losing a race to San's tricycle) and now wanting to settle down. Unbeknowest to him, Sans had already purchased a new house in town, close to where the Dreemurrs lived. Toriel found out about this long before he did and soon offered him a job to cement his new community ties as part of the surprise, as the head chef of the school. He was ecstatic about the news and accepted the job with glee.

The kids were terrified of this idea at first, in particular Frisk, recalling how awful Papyrus's spaghetti was before, but Undynes online cooking lessons over the long weeks had apparently paid off in spades, and his standard of food was much higher than before (in actuality, Undyne really WAS a good cook, even if her aggressive behavior made her a liability in the kitchen). He made spaghetti the Friday special, mixing up the menu on a regular basis throughout the week, and almost everything he made for the school was a treat, although Frisk still wanted nothing to do with snails.

Soon he became celebrated by the students for his quality of food, and it was clear from his aggressive passion (shades of Undyne there) and his confidence, Papyrus had found his calling. He was destined for great things in his field now, and his days of yearning to join the Royal Guard were behind him. The thought never again crossed his mind.

Speaking of Undyne, her relationship with Alphys bloomed during their travels with Asgore. They were polar opposites, with Alphys being a huge nerd and Undyne always having a constant can-do attitude, and this difference in personality often had them clashing with one another.

But over time their difference in personalities blended them into a compatible couple, with Alphys becoming much more confident in herself, and Undyne becoming passionate about her endeavors. She always had a strong drive for her job as a Royal Guard but didn't really appreciate other things as much, with the exception of cooking. That changed after spending so much time with Alphys. When they were together, they both really blossomed.

Alphys even got Asgore interested in anime during their time together, although it's really a matter of perspective between 'interested' and 'forced', though she at least got him to watch the new Mew Mew Kissy Kitty 3. Not surprisingly, it wasn't his cup of tea (Frisk would probably sneer at a pun like that), but he still kept an open mind.

Asgore spent much of his free time writing though, mostly treaties and writs to further his diplomatic goals, and he went well beyond what was needed. He took his responsibilities seriously and spared no effort. Unfortunately, even now the tense coexistence between humans and monsters was anything but peaceful, and Asgores efforts, though respectable, had barely put a dent in the strained relations between them. But he was trying. It was a long, uphill battle, and it would still probably be that way many years later.

When he wasn't focused on diplomacy, he wrote letters of well wishes containing gifts to his family, especially for the longer excursions. He communicated via phone and internet every day so they would have a face and a voice to remember, but at heart he still preferred doing things the old fashioned way. Toriel kept him busy with school gardening whenever he was in town, her "honey-do" list, if you will.

As far as his actual relationship with Toriel, they grew a little closer in the months since getting their son back, but they're still not anything close to romantically involved, even now. Honestly, it was unlikely that would ever happen again, because even though she forgave him, he was never really able to forgive himself. The weight of his past still haunted him, and he could feel his sins crawling on his back every single day. There were days when he contemplated suicide, thought about ending it all, because he wasn't sure if he could take it anymore, having to live with himself another day.

But he never did. He knew he did a terrible thing, even if his wrongdoings had been righted in the end, but he knew the only way he could ever find redemption was to keep going. He hated himself, and nobody could blame him for that, but he couldn't take his own life. His family loved him. His family needed him. The WORLD needed him, because slowly but surely he was making it a better place. Even if he had done so much wrong in the past, he was a positive force in the world, and although it took much sacrifice to get to this point, to throw his life away would mean that it was all for nothing.

He still thought about what he saw that day. The empty coffins. He still wasn't sure if it meant what he thought it did, that the fallen children somehow came back to life through Asriel and Frisks efforts, but given everything else that had happened, it wasn't such a farfetched conclusion to reach. The human SOUL was still an enigma, the unfathomable power it contained, and Asgore was willing to entertain just about any possibility at this point. And even if what he assumed was not the case, he knew in his heart, without a doubt, that those children had at least found peace now, and he could live with that. It may have been nothing but wishful thinking to some, but it was one of the few things that kept him going to this day.

Toriel and Asgore never really got back together, but their relationship had improved over the months. They were both content with the way things were now, and maybe one day there would be room to re-explore their romance, but for now they were just friends, and that was enough for both of them. And Toriel stuck by her promise to help Asgore sort through his feelings. As long as he kept moving forward and trying to do the right thing, she would be there to support him. And she was. The visits were few and far between because of the nature of his work, but when he did come home to visit, seeing his former wife, his children...it was of great comfort to him, and he looked forward to each and every visit.

To Asriels lament, Toriel started spending a lot of time with Sans. Not that he held any sort of grudge against the pudgy skeleton (nor did Sans hold anything against Asriel, at least not anymore), he was just hopeful that Toriel and Asgore would eventually get back together, which was really nothing more than wishful thinking at best. Even Frisk knew that.

He was relieved to discover, however, that their relationship never went beyond anything more than a close friendship. However, Sans taste for bad puns and jokes had rubbed off quite a bit on Toriel and she began cracking her own attempts at humor regularly, which both Asriel and Frisk found intolerable, though they would never outright tell her that.

Eventually Sans took up a faculty position at Toriels school, becoming the Science teacher. As Frisk had suspected, he had a colorful background of education in the field, especially in Quantum Physics, and he was well suited to his job, making the subject easy to understand, but at the same time fun and exciting.

Unfortunately, his habit of bad jokes and puns wore even harder on Asriel and Frisk, and his standard of discipline for misbehaving was harsh, especially if it involved cheating (read, instant weekend detention, denoted with the phrase 'prepare to have a bad time'), but the other students loved him, the ones who behaved anyway, and the homework was usually very light, no doubt in part due to Sans laziness. Toriel even kept Alphys on long distance call as a substitute whenever he was out so there was never a missed class.

Everyone had moved on from their former lives in the Underground. They've all dealt with the past in their own way and each of them found their own path in life, and for the most part, everyone was happy.

Except...

The only one who still didn't feel like she had any closure was Frisk herself. Though she had indeed succeeded in her ultimate goal, to **SAVE** Asriel and give him a chance at a happy life, there was another problem for Frisk to deal with, one that she had not given much thought to until now. Her amnesia had not gone away in the six months since she left the mountain, and her inability to remember anything before her adventure in the Underground really bothered her. She had a new family, a new brother, and she even took to calling Asgore 'dad', something he found very surprising but wholly welcome, even if he felt he didn't deserve it at times. But her thoughts often drifted on what her life was like before her adventure beneath the mountain, what kind of people her birth parents were, if she had any siblings or relatives out there, where they were, what had become of them, and many other things. Her memory was a scrambled mess, and nothing made sense to Frisk anymore.

An even worse possibility crept into Frisks thoughts at the time. What if she didn't have any family out there anymore? What if they had abandoned her because they didn't want her anymore. What if she was forcibly taken up the mountain and thrown into the hole so her parents could be rid of her? She just couldn't remember anything, and because of this, she couldn't shake that horrible idea, and about a dozen others like it, all of them equally as horrific as the last. They were terrifying thoughts and even though Frisk knew that the possibility of any of them being true was highly unlikely, it caused her great concern, enough to seriously doubt herself at times, and Asriel was observant enough to notice it immediately.

Although Frisk was always at Asriels side to console him whenever he was upset or struggling to cope with something, when it came to her own bouts of depression, she never really talked about the things that bothered her. There were days where Frisk would just sit at the desk in their room, staring out the window, not wanting to do anything, and at first Asriel thought she was feeling guilty again, over what she did for him and Chara. He was going to talk to her about it, reminding her not to blame herself for his struggles...

...until he caught her talking to herself one day, unaware that he was standing just outside the door to their room. And he realized the REAL reason why Frisk was so distant.

"...what's wrong with me? Why can't I remember anything, even now? My parents, do they still miss me? Do I even HAVE any parents out there? Or was I really...? The Dreemurrs, they took me in as one of their own. Gave me a home. Asriel even calls me his sister. I love them so much, I really do, but...am I really a part of their family? What if...what if they abandon me one day too? I...I just don't know. I've never doubted myself this much before, but now I just feel so...alone."

And Asriel felt horrible for Frisk after he heard this, not knowing how to comfort her in her time of need. All he wanted to do was barge in, give her the biggest hug that he could, and tell her that everything was going to be alright, that such a thing would never happen. Not knowing who your parents are, who you are or where you come from, he couldn't even begin to imagine what that must feel like.

Well, that wasn't completely true. He DID know what it was like to feel alone, having been on the receiving end of that emotion for so long. But he didn't know how to approach her about it. He gladly would have listened if she were willing to talk about it, but she refused to burden anyone with her problems, especially Asriel, knowing how much he had already suffered in the past. When he walked in and asked if she was alright, she simply played it off as if nothing was wrong, feigning her usual, cheery self. She was very much like Chara in that regard, preferring not to say anything when she was upset, and she did a good job of hiding it for the most part, but Asriel always saw it for what it was. He recognized all the signs, and it broke his heart to see his friend in such bad spirits, all the more because he knew why she was feeling this way and didn't know what to do about it.

The truth, as much as it pained her to admit it, was that Frisk didn't feel like she was a true member of their family. Though she would never say as much to them, she had always felt like a tag-along, a third wheel, that she might be abandoned and forgotten at some point, and she would be alone again. After all, if it really did happen once before, couldn't it happen again? Especially now that Toriel and Asgore had their real child back? Even though she knew how much the Dreemurrs loved her, even though she knew in her heart that such a thing would probably never happen, it was harder to convince her rational mind of that notion. You wouldn't think it considering how many friends she had made, but in truth, Frisk was really quite lonely, feeling like she had nobody to truly call her kin.

Not that Frisk would ever be a replacement for Chara in Asriels eyes, nor would Frisk ever WANT that to be the case, knowing how much those two meant to each other, but Asriel loved Frisk just as much as he did Chara. She was his adoptive sister, just like Chara, and Frisk meant the world to him. And even though she was gone physically, Chara was still with them in spirit. Chara was a part of Asriel now, a kind of second consciousness that gave him support and guidance when he needed it, even to this day.

And he needed it now, more than ever.

"Chara..."

And so here he was. Asriel stood in the living room, alone, staring at Charas portrait among various family photos. Her heart locket was leaned in front of it, inside its original box, right next to Asriels. They were both old and well worn, faded, scratched and tarnished from age and wear. Carefully he took Chara's red locket out of its box and sat on the couch, clutching it with both hands. He flicked it open with a thumbclaw, staring at the photo of them inside, and the engraving with it.

 **Best Friends Forever: A + C**

Now and always.

 _"Chara...can you hear me?"_

He reached out to her, not at all sure what he was doing.

 _"Chara...I know you're there. I can still feel you. I...well, I THINK I can still feel you. I don't know anymore. Are you really here with me? Or are you..."_

The worst crossed his mind, but he quashed it immediately.

 _"No...you ARE here. I KNOW it. But even so, I miss you. I miss you so much, Chara. It's not the same without you, and I know Mom and Dad miss you too. I'm happy, and they're happy, but still...I wish you were 'here.'"_

And then his thoughts turned to the other 'her.'

 _"And Frisk...I'm so worried about her, Chara. She's hurting so much, and I know why, but I can't do anything about it. She has done so much for me, more than I deserve, more than I could ever ask for. She means the world to me, but I can't even help her when she needs it the most. I feel like I'm letting her down. I..."_

He was beside himself.

 _"I...I don't know what to do, Chara."_

He felt a bit silly, even now, talking to himself like this, even though nobody could hear him. He was really beginning to wonder if it was really Charas presence that felt all this time, if she was truly still with him even now. With Frisks help, Asriel had finally overcome his own guilt and his own sins, but now, when his best friend was struggling to cope with the reality of her situation and her own fears, he couldn't even return the favor. He couldn't even offer her comfort when she needed it more than ever. He sighed and began sobbing, not at all sure what he was going to do, what he COULD do.

 **But somebody came**

 ** _"I'm here, Azzy."_**

 _"WHA...?"_

Just like before, a gentle scarlet light softly pulsed from his chest.

 _"C-CHARA!?"_

It was **HER**.

 ** _"I'm here, but I don't have much time, Azzy. The link won't last long."_**

He didn't care.

 _"Oh, Chara. It's so good to hear your voice again."_

 _ **"Same here, Azzy."**_

Knowing her window was limited, she immediately got to the matter at hand.

 _ **"Frisk...I know what she's going through. I felt the way she did too, when I fell down that hole. Feeling like you're all alone, unsure about your past, afraid of what your future holds."**_

 _"Yeah..."_

But she reassured him.

 _ **"But you haven't let her down, Azzy. You two have been there for each other when things were at their worst, and that makes me so happy. And this is no different."**_

 _"R-really?"_

 _ **"Really. You just need to show her how much she truly means to you, how much you love her. You need to show her that she's NOT alone, that she DOES have someone who cares about her. You're her best friend now, Azzy. If anyone can help her get through this, it's you."**_

He was confused.

 _"But...how?"_

 _ **"You'll figure it out, Azzy. You've already done it once before, for me."**_

 _"Chara...?"_

The light began to fade.

 ** _"The link is fading. I have to go again."_**

Despair washed over Asriel in that moment.

 _"NO, CHARA! DON'T LEAVE ME ALONE AGAIN! PLEASE!"_

He cried out, feeling like he was losing his best friend all over again. That wasn't the case though.

 ** _"I'm not leaving you, Azzy. I never left. I've been with you all along."_**

 _"But...!"_

 ** _"_** _ **I miss you too, Azzy. I miss you all so much.**_ _ **And I know it's hard sometimes, but please, don't cry for me. I don't regret what I did. I get to spend every day with you all now. I get to share in everything you do. I've been with you all along, Azzy, and as long as YOU'RE happy, I'M happy!"**_

 _"Oh, Chara..."_

He started crying again, but he quickly got himself under control. After all, if they were able to connect with each other like this once, maybe they could do it again.

And she confirmed it.

 ** _"I just need a little time to recover, then we can talk again! And if you ever need me for anything, just call out to me, and I'll be there for you!"_**

 _"Y-you promise?"_

 ** _"I promise,_ _Azzy."_**

Hearing that, he felt better. There were so many things he wanted to say in that moment, but he settled for what mattered the most.

 _"I love you, Chara."_

 _ **"I love you too, Azzy. I'll talk to you soon!"**_

And the link faded.

He clutched at his heart, feeling a wave of reassurance and comfort from her intervention.

 _Thank you, Chara..._

But he still wasn't sure what he was supposed to do. Asriel sat there, Charas open locket still clutched tightly in his furry hands, and his thoughts turned to Frisk now, pondering Chara's cryptic message.

 ** _You'll figure it out...you've already done it once, for me._**

Wondering what she meant.

 _ **You're her best friend now, Azzy.**_

And then it dawned on him. It was an idea he had already thought of, one he had shared with Toriel, but also one that he had been unable to put into action until now. At the time, human and monster relations in Ebott Village were so bad that monsters were not allowed to fraternize with the locals or shop in any of the town stores. But there was a new store open now, run by a long time friend of the Dreemurr family. A monster, and not just any monster, but the very person who had made 'them' so long ago.

His attention was immediately taken by the locket still in his hand.

 **Best Friends Forever**

 _T-THAT'S IT!_

He knew exactly what to do now. Without a moments hesitation, he stood and grabbed the other heart locket, the one belonging to him, and the boxes they came with. He put them both in his backpack, slung it over his shoulder, and made for the door.

"Mom, I'm going out! Be back in a little while!"

 **...**

 **Two weeks later**

 **...**

"Oh, welcome home, my child."

Toriel announced from the kitchen as an excited Asriel walked through the front door. Toriel was still wearing her traditional robes, with an apron draped over them. She had a couple of different outfits for her administrative and teaching posts at the school, but the family robes were still her preferred attire most of the time, for both sentimental and practical reasons. She didn't look the same to the kids without them, and she took pride in wearing them since they were emblazoned with the family crest, even though there was no longer any kind of implied royalty to the bloodline or claim to the throne. For all intents and purposes, Asgore was no longer a king, and Asriel was no longer a prince, and they could care less. Asriel was happy just being a normal kid. He was never fond of the idea of being a prince to begin with.

Asriels physical appearance had matured slightly in the months since leaving the Underground as well. He was a good two or three inches taller now and was even beginning to grow a very small pair of horns on his head. He was wearing a soccer uniform, a blue and white jersey and matching shorts, having had practice earlier. His frosty fur and uniform were caked with grass and mud stains, and Toriel couldn't help being the chiding mother in that moment.

"I hope you wiped your feet before you came inside, young man."

Asriel nodded, checking the bottoms of his paws to make sure they were clean, satisfied that they were.

"Good, but you WILL be taking a bath later tonight, mister."

 _Ugh..._

He groaned in his folly. It was going to be a long evening.

He was looking around to make sure Frisk wasn't in sight. Toriel took notice immediately.

"She's up in her room, probably doing homework. She's pretty bruised up from dodgeball practice so don't be too surprised if she looks a little weary."

He looked at the clock.

5:48 PM

"Golly, is it really that late? Sorry it took so long, soccer practice went an hour over. Oh, and I stopped by Mr Gersons on the way home, too."

He took three small gift boxes out of his backpack. Each one was black and each was wrapped with a ribbon of varying colors, one yellow, one red, and one blue.

"They're finished."

Mr Gerson was an elderly turtle from Waterfall, an archaeologist of sorts, and though he desired to see the world if he were to ever leave the Underground, his age unfortunately made this dream an impossible one to realize and he came to a compromise. He stayed in the Underground for a time, collecting all sort of knick knacks and trinkets, and once human and monster relations got better on the surface, he migrated and eventually settled down in Ebott Village, where the Dreemurrs were now rooted.

He opened up an exotic pawn shop in the village central market and, fascinated by human technology and history, began collecting all sorts of historical trinkets from both races en masse. His collection was so impressive from the onset that he turned his shop into a display, an exhibit of sorts, drawing tourists from all local areas to see.

He was also a well respected craftsman and, being the one who had made the heart lockets for Chara and Asriel in the first place, was easily able to accommodate Asriels mysterious request (with pay, of course).

They both closely inspected each one, satisfied that they were to specifications. Toriel was especially impressed with the last one, which was brand new. She gave her son a gentle kiss on his forehead.

"This was a wonderful idea, Asriel. She's going to love it. She has been so depressed lately, and I think I know why. This might be just what she needs."

He nodded.

"Yeah, I can't wait to see Frisks reaction when I give it to her."

Asriel could smell the telltale hints of pie crust, snails, and the sweet aroma of butterscotch and cinnamon. He was visibly excited.

"Dinner will be ready in a few moments. Dad will be joining us later tonight, he's on his way back from a long campaign. Alphys and Undyne are at something called an anime convention at the moment, whatever that is."

"AWESOME! I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE HIM!"

Toriel giggled.

"Why don't you go upstairs and show Frisk your little surprise in the mean time? I'd love to see her wearing it when she comes down. Hold on."

She opened the freezer, taking out a soft ice pack.

"Here, take this to her as well. It'll make her feel better. And try not to stare too much."

He nodded enthusiastically.

"Okay Mom!"

He took the ice pack, turned and ran up the stairs, taking them two by two. At the top, there was a fully furnished laundry room to the right, and three more rooms to the left, the first being a modest restroom, complete with bath tub and shower. Toriel's bedroom was at the end of the hall, which was the master bedroom, and there was a smaller room to the right, which was their room. There was a guest bedroom downstairs which Asgore occupied whenever he was in town to visit, and they could have had separate rooms, but both Asriel and Frisk preferred to share one instead. It was more than enough for both of them, and Asriel didn't like to sleep alone, although he would never admit such a thing.

He opened the door.

"Howdy Frisk! I'm home!"

Frisk sat at the small work desk against the back window, a textbook on math and a notebook in front of her, pencil in hand. She was wearing a pink hooded jacket over her dodgeball uniform. It was the brink of winter and Christmas was just around the corner, and the cold weather affected her far more than the Dreemurrs. Asriels otherwise pristine fur made him comfortable in shorts and a t-shirt even when it was barely above freezing outside, though he still loved his striped long sleeve for sentimental reasons. He had his own hooded jacket for the really cold days as well, this one a darker shade of purple.

The room was laid with a shiny wooden floor and there were twin sized beds on either side, against opposite walls, complete with night stands and their own bedside rugs. On both night stands sat a picture frame, one containing a group photo of all of their friends on Frisks stand, and the old picture of Chara on Asriels stand. There was a computer on the work desk which Asriel and Frisk mostly used for homework whenever it involved writing essays or doing research, but also held some video games they enjoyed playing in their free time (they both loved Minecraft), and also had Skype for staying in contact with their friends and especially Dad.

There was a large wardrobe against the front wall containing most of their clothes, and next to this was another small dresser, atop of which sat a small flat-screen television and a satellite box. Mettaton did indeed have his own show now, covering...well, everything, and it was on right now, but the volume was muted, and Frisk was focused on her studies.

"Hey, welcome back Azzy!"

Frisk turned to face him now, and he reeled back in surprise. Toriel wasn't lying when she said Frisk was bruised pretty badly.

"GOSH! Where'd you get the black eye, Frisk?"

She shook her head with a chuckle.

"Dodgeball practice. Took one right in the face. I never even saw it coming. It doesn't hurt as bad as it looks though."

Asriel could tell, Frisk was in one of those depressive moods again. She did a damn good job of hiding it, trying to maintain the facade of happiness, but Asriel saw right through it. Though he was worried about her, he didn't immediately let on that he knew how she was really feeling. He knew why she was feeling this way, and he had the 'medicine' to cure her of these doubts forever. He just had to wait for the right moment.

 _Mom was right...this is exactly what she needs._

She took notice of the grass stains on his uniform and his fur.

"You look like you really had it out today at Soccer practice too. Mom must have been a little worried about you tracking dirt in the house."

He giggled in response, doing his best to hide his concern.

"Yeah, it went longer than usual. I can't even count how many times I slid in the grass today. I was practically eating the turf."

He threw his backpack on the floor and fell back on his bed, stretching his limbs out, kicking his paws at the open air.

"I'm beat."

Frisk stretched her arms in response. Her arms were fairly bruised as well, a result of falling down constantly during Dodgeball practice as she struggled to evade being beaned by the ball.

"Me too. But at least you're getting good sleep every night now."

"Yeah, thanks to you, I haven't had any nightmares in two months now. I'm finally able to sleep through the night. I miss those bedtime stories though."

Frisk giggled. He turned his attention to the TV now, seeing Mettaton deliver breaking news on absolutely nothing. Frisk wasn't REALLY watching his show, she just turned it on out of morbid curiosity. She couldn't believe Mettaton actually made it happen.

"REALLY, FRISK!? You're really watching THIS!?"

She grinned.

"I am and I hate it."

Asriel teased her, bringing up something she said a while back.

"Whatever happened to 'I am NOT tuning in for that show! I've had enough brushes with death in this life time!'?"

He squinted his eyes into narrow slits as he recited Frisks own words from memory. Frisk giggled at his impersonation, wondering who the real dork was now.

"Guilty as charged. Alphys would be so disappointed in me."

Asriels hand was almost frozen now from the ice pack he was holding. He had forgotten about it in his theatrics.

"Oh, Mom asked me to give you this."

Frisk took the ice pack from his nearly frostbitten hand and gently applied it to her blackened eye, watching as he blew hot air into his fist to thaw his icy extremities.

"It's really not so bad, but thanks. I'm finished with my homework so the desk is all yours if you have homework. I'm starving, hope dinner is gonna be ready soon."

"A few more minutes, Mom said. Oh, and Dad is coming home tonight too!"

Frisk nodded.

"Yeah, Mom told me already. He was away for quite a while on this trip, I'm glad we're gonna get to see him again."

She stood up from the desk, and the difference in size between them was more apparent now. Frisk had only grown a little bit in the last six months, maybe half an inch or so, while Asriel gained at least two. He dwarfed her in size, easily four or five inches taller than her now. Frisk had to look up to meet his gaze when they were standing close. If this growth spurt kept up much longer (or lack of growth in Frisk's case), soon he would have to kneel down to be at eye-level with Frisk. That, or Frisk would need a step-ladder.

"Hey, I've got something to show you. A surprise."

He said as he turned towards his bed and knelt down, digging into his backpack. He pulled out two of the gift boxes that he came home with, the ones wrapped with yellow and red ribbons. He opened the one with the yellow ribbon first, delicately pulling out the item inside.

It was his old heart locket, restored to its original condition.

Its golden chain shined brilliantly in the fading light of the setting sun, perfectly matching the yellow ceramic of the heart itself. He carefully placed the locket around his neck, clasping the chain together, and turned back towards Frisk. She took notice immediately, placing the ice pack on the desk.

"Oh, your locket! You got it back."

"Yeah, I had it cleaned and polished by Mr Gerson. It's almost like new again. And not only that."

He turned and opened the box wrapped with the red ribbon now, taking out the red heart locket inside, carefully showing it to Frisk.

"Charas locket too!"

Frisk smiled at him.

"That's great! Let's give it to her!"

He nodded, handing the locket over to Frisk. Together they walked over to the picture on Asriels night stand, the one of Chara, and Frisk carefully placed the locket around the frame, laying out the slack of the chain and leaning the ceramic heart itself against the bottom of the portrait.

"That looks much better! It was very precious to her so I'm glad that she finally has it back."

Frisk nodded, continuing to stare at Charas portrait, lost in thought. With her attention diverted by the picture, Asriel seized the moment and backed away from her slowly, quietly digging into his backpack for the REAL surprise.

"Yeah."

She said as she turned around.

"HUH?!"

Asriel was standing in front of her now, his arm outstretched towards her. In his hand was the last gift box, this one adorned with a blue ribbon.

"W-what's this?"

He gave a shy smile, grinning like the enormous dork that he was.

"Surprise! This one is for you!"

Frisk looked at Asriel for a few seconds before hesitantly taking the box from his hand. There was a small white tag attached to it.

 **To: Frisk**

 **From: The Dreemurr Family**

She just stared at it, then at him, her gaze bouncing back and forth.

"Well go on, open it!"

Frisk sheepishly walked over to her own bed to sit down. Carefully she pulled on the ribbon, undoing its simple knot and setting it aside as she lifted open the lid of the box. Her reaction put an enormous grin on Asriels face once she saw what was inside the box.

There was a brand new heart locket inside.

"T-this is..."

This heart locket was a light shade of blue, the blue of the sky. It was adorned with a chain almost identical to the other two, except this one was made of white gold, which complimented the blue of the ceramic heart much better than the yellow gold that the other two chains were created from.

"F-f-for me?"

She was struggling to speak, her lips quivering from surprise and heartfelt joy. He nodded and sat on the bed beside her excitedly.

"Take a look inside!"

Frisk delicately pried open the locket with her thumbnail. It was pretty much identical to the other two, with an engraving and a photo. Except...

"Sans was a huge help here. It's photoshopped, I know, but it was the best we could do."

The photo was a modified version of the old one of Chara and Asriel, but Frisk was in the middle, standing a little lower than them so as not to block them out. All three of them were smiling. Even if it was photoshopped, it was impossible to tell just by looking at it. This was expertly done and looked authentic.

And, the engraving was different too. Or, not exactly different, but more was added to it.

 **Best Friends Forever: A + C + F**

F. Frisk.

Asriel popped open his locket now to show her. It contained the same picture and the same engraving as hers. He pointed to Charas locket on the night stand.

"Hers too."

Frisk was overwhelmed, completely floored by her brothers heartfelt gift. She was on the verge of an emotional breakdown, but one born of joy, not sadness.

"Azzy...this is so sweet of you. You didn't have to do this for me. I-I don't know what to say. I...thank you!"

Asriel smiled, shaking his head.

"I'm sorry it took so long, it should have been finished months ago. But when you told me that you didn't feel right taking Charas locket, saying that it made you uncomfortable keeping something that didn't belong to you, the solution was obvious. Now you have one of your own."

Her left hand was resting on the bed. He grabbed it with both hands, squeezing it gently.

"I know things have been hard for you lately, not knowing about your past, who you are or where you come from. And I can't even begin to imagine what that feels like. But...I do know what it feels like to be alone, to feel like you have no one."

He was still smiling, but his eyes were starting to water a little bit.

"But you're not alone anymore, Frisk. You're a Dreemurr now! No matter what happens, you will always have a family who loves you. You will always have a place to belong, a place to call home. Always."

 **Frisk is filled with DETERMINATION**

They were both crying now. Frisk, completely touched by her brothers sentiments, tackled him with a massive hug, taking him by surprise. He had to fight to keep from falling back on the bed, almost losing his balance, but he stayed upright and immediately returned the embrace with near bone-crushing force. She was getting tears on his uniform and even his fur, but he didn't care.

"T-T-THANK YOU SO MUCH AZZY! I'LL CHERISH IT FOREVER!"

It was amazing she could even get a sentence across in her hysteria, her voice somewhat muffled from her face being buried in Asriels shoulder.

"I LOVE YOU SO MUCH BRO!"

He held her even tighter now, resting his own head on her shoulder, gently rocking her back and forth.

"I love you too sis!"

Frisk had to take back a statement she made long ago, that Toriel gave the best hugs. No, Asriel DEFINITELY took first place in that category. All the doubt, the fear, the depression she felt over the last six months, all of it vanished in an instant.

"I'm so glad that I finally get to tell you this, Frisk! Welcome to the family!"

It was official now. She giggled in pure joy through her sobs, and Asriel could feel her smiling on his shoulder. She finally understood, even if she had no memory of her past, she DID have a family, a place to belong, and it was right in front of her this whole time. Frisk felt so loved in this moment, and neither of them wanted to let go. They held each other like this for several minutes, until...

"DINNER'S READY!"

Toriels voice from downstairs.

Reluctantly they pulled away from each other, both of them now standing, their tearful moment having been rudely interrupted. Asriel quickly walked over to the door and opened it, answering his mothers call.

"BE DOWN IN A MINUTE!"

Frisk carefully put her new locket around her neck, clasping the pearly chain together. It fit her perfectly and its colors complimented both itself and her outfit spectacularly. She brushed her tears away, looking back at Asriel with a smile.

"H-how do I look?"

He gave her a thumbs up.

"You look perfect! Like a true Dreemurr!"

She was blushing shyly now, her hands meekly behind her back.

"Frisk Dreemurr, it...it has a nice ring to it."

Asriel nodded enthusiastically.

"Yeah, it does! We've gotta calm down though, Frisk. Mom will think we've lost our minds."

She giggled.

"Heh, yeah. I can't help it though, Azzy. I've never been happier."

Asriel was smiling again, knowing he was the reason she was so happy now.

"Just...promise me one thing, Frisk."

"Anything."

Surprisingly, he swore her to the same vow she made him take several months ago.

"If you're ever feeling down, for any reason...please, come and talk to me. I don't care what time it is. You were always there for me when I struggled to sort out my problems, please, let me help you with yours. No matter what the problem is, we can figure it out together. Okay?"

She was still fighting back the tears. He had rubbed off on her quite a bit. Suddenly she wondered who the real crybaby was in this family.

"Okay! I promise, Azzy!"

"Pinky swear?"

He held out his pinky finger, or at least what passed for one since he only had four fingers on each hand. Frisk giggled as she grabbed hold of it with her own and shook gently.

"Heh, pinky swear."

They hugged each other again, officially sealing the pact they had just made. The tears finally stopped for both of them, replaced by nothing but heartfelt joy.

"Thanks Azzy. Best friends **_forever_**."

Asriel reaffirmed it. Not one, but two dear siblings to cherish now. Chara, and...

"Best friends **_forever_** , Frisk!"

They finally pulled away from each other, clutching their lockets with pure ecstasy. Finally famished and ready for pie, Asriel held the door open for her.

"After you, sis!"

Frisk smiled back with a nod, and she was halfway through the door, when...

"RACE YOU DOWN, BRO!"

She took off down the hall. He quickly closed the door and ran after her.

"HEY, NO FAIR! COME BACK HERE!"

And they both ran down the stairs to the living room, to the dinner table. Toriel was already sitting at the table on one side, an enormous smile taking form on her face when she noticed the new heart locket around Frisks neck. There was an open seat next to her designated for Asgore, and two seats waiting for Frisk and Asriel on the other side. Both pies were already on the table, with plates and utensils set for everyone.

The future was still an uncertain thing, and both Asriel and Frisk had their grim pasts to contend with occasionally, but time heals all wounds, as the saying goes. Before long, even Asriels guilt faded into nothing, his memory of Chara and the loving bond he shared with his new sibling keeping him strong, even in the darkest moments. And though Frisk still wondered about her origins at times, she knew now that even if she had no memory of her past and no knowledge of her roots, she was now a part of something that she cherished more than anything, Asriel himself having cemented that fact, and it filled her with **HOPE**. One was always there to support the other on even the toughest days, and as long as they had each other, everything would turn out okay in the end.

Asriel was given a second chance, one that he was eternally grateful for, and now lived a normal, happy life. Chara was with her loved ones again in spirit, having at long last made peace with herself and those closest to her. And at the end of it all, having now been officially adopted by the Dreemurrs, Frisk had finally found what she had been looking for all along, the one thing that made her truly happy.

A real family.

 _Let rise the dreams of your heart_

 _That innocent youth, careless and kind_

 _Free to roam the breeze in love_

 _Only when two brilliantly shine as one_

"Wings", Jennifer Stigile

 **The End**

 _..._

 ** _Undertale and all characters copyrighted Toby Fox_**


	12. Extra 1 - Brother

"Hey, Frisk, wait up!"

Asriel shouted as he was trying to catch up with Frisk and M.K (Monster Kids new name). Both Asriel and Frisk were in sports uniform, jerseys and matching shorts, having just gotten out of Dodgeball and Soccer practice. They were heading to their usual spot in the school playground.

"There you are, Azzy! We were looking for you. Cmon."

It had been 15 months to the day since the Underground had gone free and Frisk had officially become a member of the Dreemurr family. True to her word, she never took off the heart locket that Asriel gave her, solidifying the loving bond that they shared as best friends and siblings, and the only detail of the past that Asriel held on to was that of his late sister, Chara, whom he always kept in his thoughts. Their previous hardships and sins were merely a distant memory now. You know how it is, lifes new challenges tend to push out the old.

Frisk still largely had amnesia from her fall in the Underground, and at this point she was resigned to the fact that she would probably never regain her memory. But she was okay with that now because she had a new life, one that she cherished dearly, and she shared a lot of new, happy memories with her adoptive family and especially her brother, each one bringing tears to her eyes. Since she could not even remember her date of birth, it was decided that her new birthday would be the day that she became a member of the family, the same day that Asriel was reborn and reunited with his loved ones. She was 9 years old now, while Asriel was closer to 11.

It was late September now and Asriel had shed quite a bit because of the sweltering heat. His fur was much finer and thinner now to combat the really hot days, his horns were becoming more developed, and he was still growing at an alarming rate. Toriel said that this was not unusual for Boss Monsters so they weren't worried, but by this point he towered over Frisk by at least 9 or 10 inches. Maybe Frisk was just short by nature.

It was their second year of school together, only a few weeks into the semester. Toriels school had become prestigeous to monsters all around the region, seeing it as both a safe haven from human bigotry and as a place for monsters to learn and grow with their peers. Although the school was open to both humans and monsters alike, the school was still attended almost exclusively by monsters because most humans simply didn't want their children mingling with kids from the other race. Of the several hundred students in the school, there were maybe eight humans, Frisk included, and they all attended by choice. Humans, monsters, it made no difference to them. People were people to them. It was only skin, fur, scale and bone deep.

Asriel and Frisk still shared almost the exact same classes (Asriel had to play a bit of catch-up because of the time he had missed out on during...well, you know), but their different extracurricular activities took place at the same time, which meant that they had to meet up afterwords if they wanted to have lunch together. M.K hung out with them all the time now, carrying his lunchbox on his tail. Having no arms, he had to be creative to do the things others could do with ease, and his tail allowed him to adapt and function in just that manner.

They were heading to their usual spot, a small table bench just past the sandbox, one which had the welcoming shade of an Oak looming over it. Still afraid of Papyrus's cooking, they generally packed their own lunch for school, an assortment of fruits, veggies, crackers, cheese, iced tea (Asgores recipe was a household favorite), and a slice of pie, Snail for Asriel and Butterscotch/Cinnamon for Frisk. Frisk tried to give Snail Pie another chance to grow on her but it never did, so Toriel made two separate pies every couple of days for both of them, but she made sure they had a well balanced diet to go along with it. Can't expect to survive on nothing but pie, after all. Asriel still teased her about her distaste for snails to this day, among other things. He was still as big of a dork as he ever was, but Frisk wouldn't have him any other way.

"It's honestly amazing how little you've grown after all this time, Frisk."

Asriel inquired as they sat at their bench, Frisk and Asriel staring across from each other, M.K sitting next to Frisk. These kinds of statements might annoy Frisk if they came from anybody else, but she was perfectly fine hearing them from Asriel. The two were completely open with each other.

"Hey, it gives me an advantage in Dodgeball at least. I'm harder to hit than most of the other kids. Besides, I can always use you for a boost if I really need it."

Asriel giggled. That was certainly true. Frisk was light enough that Asriel could pick her up and carry her anywhere with ease, even let her ride piggyback if she wanted. Asriel was exceptionally strong, even for a Boss Monster, and part of that was because of Chara's SOUL that still resided within Asriel, helping him to maintain his form and live out a normal life (although there was a fair possibility that he didn't even need a human SOUL to maintain his form now, it's what Chara wanted, to be forever united with her dear brother).

The reverse held true as well, given that monsters were so light to begin with, a side effect from being comprised almost entirely of magic. Frisk could just as easily carry Asriel, and even Toriel and Asgore, anywhere they wanted, although it would look a bit silly given their difference in size.

"Speaking of which, you've gotten really good at Dodgeball, Frisk. I wish I could play some kind of sport, but not having arms makes that tough."

Frisk smiled at M.K for his compliment, and Asriel responded with an idea of his own.

"Why not play Soccer with me? Unless you're a goalie, you don't need arms to play Soccer. You're really good with your legs, I think you'd do really well."

M.K was visibly excited by Asriels suggestion.

"Dude, I might just do that! Sounds like fun!"

The trio giggled as they dug into their lunch. It was hard for any of them to recall a more perfect day. Not a cloud in the sky, warm but not boiling hot, there was a soft breeze in the air, the school grounds looked absolutely gorgeous because of Asgores recent gardening, and best of all, it was a Friday, which meant the weekend was on the horizon and there was no homework to worry about. They loved school, but they also looked forward to the end of each day and to getting home, especially when a weekend of freedom was staring them in the face.

Asgore was home a lot more often now as well. He had finally settled down from all the traveling and did most of his diplomatic work at home, giving him the opportunity to spend a lot more time with the kids. Unfortunately, the past still haunted him, and similar to what was once the case with Asriel, there were a lot of sleepless nights for Asgore. Some nights he would just lie awake in bed and stare out the window until the sun crested the horizon, and other nights he would sit alone in the living room, crying, wishing he could take back every horrible thing he ever did. Although the damage he had caused had been somewhat undone thanks to his childrens efforts, it wasn't easy to put behind him, even after all this time. Each day was a bitter struggle with his inner demons, and even with the support of his former wife and his children, it took its toll on him.

But Asgore had now found a way to make peace with himself and his sins, by pouring his every effort to achieving a peaceful coexistence with the humans, and while it was long and difficult journey, slowly but surely the relationship between humans and monsters was improving because of his hard work. He had a reason to move forward now, he had his family back and something to devote himself to, knowing that he was doing right by everyone now, and for the right reasons.

And even though he had once tried to kill Frisk, the one person who had shown him mercy, forgave him, helped to set his people free and reunited him with his beloved son Asriel, she was his daughter now, and they grew much closer since they left the Underground. Asgore embraced her as one of his own now, and he loved her just as much as he loved Asriel and the late Chara. He would lay down his life for her in a second, for ANY of his children if it ever came to that, and he cherished every moment that he got to spend with them, never for a second taking it for granted.

As for Toriel, she never forgot what he did, but she knew that she had to share in that burden as well, walking out on him at a critical moment, when he needed her more than ever. For that reason, and because Frisk had found it within her heart to forgive Asgore, Toriel was able to do so as well. Though things were still touch and go between Asgore and Toriel, their relationship was improving. They had finally reconciled after so long, and they were even dating again, having begun to rekindle the romance that the two once had (something that Asriel was completely ecstatic about), so Asgore was FINALLY beginning to heal from the scars of his sins and the damage his grief had left him with. He could not escape from his past, but he was a better person for it now, and seeing him was just one more thing for Asriel and Frisk to look forward to at the end of the day.

"I wonder what's going on with Alphys and Undyne these days. We haven't heard from them since Dad came home."

Asriel inquired as he chewed his food, not much for manners. Alphys and Undyne had finally settled down as well, now that Asgore did most of his peace-promoting duties from home. They bought a piece of beachfront property about 60 miles from Ebott Village. Undyne wanted to be close to the water, for biologically obvious reasons, and she was giving swimming lessons to Alphys as part of her confidence-boosting regimen, something that the pudgy dinosaur could have used anyway. Her borderline obesity was a big concern of Undynes, and so was Sans, even though Sans himself couldn't give two bones about it.

"They called recently, now that you mention it. Mom said they want us to come down soon for a day on the beach. That's actually something we haven't done yet, Azzy. I think you'd really like it."

He nodded, trying to chew his food quickly so he could respond.

"Yeah, that'd be awesome! I'd need a pair of sandals, though."

Frisk cocked her head in confusion.

"Sandals? What for? Didn't you say a while back that Boss Monsters have really tough feet and have no need for shoes?"

In response to that, Asriel set one of his furry paws on the bench next to Frisk, wiggling the three clawed toes attached to it.

"They're tough on hard terrain, sure, but we're still sensitive to temperature, heat especially. That's why we shed in the summer, so we can stay cooler during the hot days, and then our fur grows thick again during the colder seasons to help stay warm. I would never try to walk through Hotland like this, and I'd never survive a day walking on the scorching sand either."

Frisk giggled to herself. That must have been part of the reason for the elevators.

"Haha, me either. At least you don't have to worry about getting sunburned though. We should ask Mom and Dad about this, it sounds like it'd be really fun! You too M.K!"

He looked a little hesitant to say yes, but...

"Well, I can't swim, but I guess as long as I don't go into the water, sure! SAND CASTLES DUDE!"

Asriel immediately remembered another detail Toriel shared with him earlier.

"Oh, by the way! We're going to the New Grillby's tonight. It's their grand opening and they're having a Nose Nuzzling contest to celebrate the occasion. Mom and Dad haven't been to one of those in over 30 years, and they've been rehearsing for the occasion."

Frisk pumped her arms in excitement.

"That sounds like fun! We should enter the contest too, Azzy! I'll bet we could take 2nd place, maybe even 1st!"

Asriel was skeptical of Frisks confidence.

"You know Mom and Dad are the reigning champions from 98, right? What makes you think we can beat them?"

Frisk reassured him with his own words.

"We learned from the best. And if we lose, so what? It'll still be lots of fun!"

Though still a little skeptical, he nodded excitedly, grabbing Frisks hand and leaning forward to nuzzle her nose.

"Okay! Let's do it, Frisk!"

Frisk leaned forward in response to return the nuzzle. They were certainly not out of practice, nose nuzzling being one of the ways that the Dreemurr family shared affection with one another. M.K cheered them on in advance.

"You two are gonna wipe the floor with everyone there, I just know it!"

M.K was in awe at the love that Asriel and Frisk shared with one another. It was amazing to him, and almost everyone else, that there existed no romantic feelings between them. Their connection with one another was, in reality, much deeper than that, identical to the one shared between Asriel and Chara. They were like two halves of a whole, incomplete without one another. They annoyed each other at times, they fought occasionally as brothers and sisters do, but it was never enough to push them apart. They knew each other inside and out, their drives, their desires, almost every personal detail there was to know between them. They drew on each others strengths, compensated for each others weaknesses, and they helped each other to survive the worst of nightmares together and came out that much stronger for it in the end. Their bond was unbreakable, a love that was stronger than death itself.

"Would you two losers just kiss already?"

A voice from behind. M.K already knew who it was and groaned in disgust.

"Yo, here comes trouble."

Enter Brick, the resident school terror. Every school had a bully or two and Toriels school was no exception. His nickname came from the fact that his head was strangely rectangular and wide, like a brick, and because of his rust-colored skin to match. Not the strangest monster that Frisk had seen, the MTT receptionist with the hand for a head coming to mind, but to be fair nothing really surprised Frisk anymore. Other than that, he was roughly Asriels height and quite overweight. He was wearing a black t-shirt, dark blue jeans and faded white sneakers, covered in scuff marks.

M.K was the first one to respond, turning to face him. Asriel and Frisk paid him no mind, which only irked him further. These two have had run-ins in the past, with Brick having a particular animosity towards Asriel for being the supposed Prince of monsterkind, even though the Dreemurrs we're no longer considered a "Royal" family. There was no need for a monster monarchy anymore, and the only one who still had any political duties to this day was Asgore, being an ambassador for his people. Despite Bricks inferrences, Asriel was NOT a Prince anymore, and never saw himself as one in the first place.

Bricks grudge against Asriel also led to outright jealous against Frisk, being that she was a friend to almost everybody in the school, adored by her brother Asriel and so many others. He had a strong hatred for humans in general, but Frisk really ticked him off in particular. Frisk still tried to befriend him on occasion, despite Asriel and M.K's insistance that he wasn't worth it. That's just the kind of person she was. She thought better of it this time though and just kept her head down.

"Hey, I'm talking to you chumps!"

With a long drawn-out sigh, Asriel finally passed a glance at Brick, standing right over Frisk and M.K now. This wasn't going to end well.

"What do you want, Brick?"

He responded with genuine glee, as if he really did enjoy doing what he did.

"I saw three scrubs having a nice day, so I felt like coming over to ruin it."

Surprisingly, it was M.K who took a stand, of all people.

"We're not in the mood, Brick. Buzz off."

Asriel and Frisk shot him a mixed reaction. Part of their expressions were saying "Are you NUTS!?", and part of it was "Wow, way to go, M.K!". M.K felt proud of himself, if only for a moment, taking a stand for his friends, but at the same time he could feel his scaly cheeks burning, knowing that he had just made a terminal mistake.

And they knew it too.

"Ohohoho, the armless twerp thinks he's a tough guy now. Okay chump, let's see how tough you really are."

Suddenly M.K wasn't feeling so courageous, almost wishing he could take back what he said. But there was no backing out of it now. He stood and turned to face the oncoming bruising he was to receive...

...only Frisk put a hand on his shoulder, invoking a look of surprise from M.K, and set him down again. Again, that's just the kind of person Frisk was, always taking the rap for everybody else. Sacrifice was not a word that Frisk took lightly, having done so much for monsterkind in the past (and having died on more than one occasion to **SAVE** someone she cared about), and she didn't want anyone else to have to put themselves in that position, even for something as simple as taking a punch for their friends.

"Frisk...don't."

Asriel protested, knowing what was immediately to follow, but she stood anyway, turning to face their tormenter. And as he suspected...

"Brick, there's no need for this. There's no reason why we can't be friends..."

M.K and Asriel sighed to one another, not necessarily angry or upset at Frisk for trying, but simply because they knew it was in vain. They admired her spirit, though.

But Brick gave a loud, sinister laugh in response, and with lightning speed, grabbed Frisk by the collar of her shirt and threw her into the ground, face first.

 **HP reduced to 18/20**

 _Ouch..._

"FRISK!"

Asriel leapt off the bench and scrabbled to Frisks side, grabbing hold of her arms.

"I'm...I'm okay."

She said weakly as she clumsily pushed herself off the ground, back to her feet. Asriel helped to pull her up and keep balance.

"I'LL GO GET HELP!"

M.K shouted as he ran off, with Brick laughing in response.

"Hahaha, run little coward, run!"

Finally Frisk was back on her feet, still a little wobbly. Her face and her clothes were covered in dirt now, and there was a small scratch on her forehead, but otherwise she seemed unharmed.

"Thanks, Azzy. I'm alright."

But Asriel wasn't so quick to let it go. He turned towards Brick now, furious that this punk had dared to attack one of his friends.

"What's your problem, Brick!? What did Frisk do to you!? Apologize, now!"

That only infuriated him further.

"And what are you gonna do if I don't?"

Asriel said nothing. They stared at each other for one long, tense moment, like some cheesy high-noon showdown in a spaghetti western. And then...

"Just looking at you pisses me off, Dreemurr. The supposed prince of monsters, destined to lead us in the future, yet he spends all his time with a human. It's pathetic."

Now Frisk was the one getting worked up. Insulting her was one thing and she could deal with it, but this guy was picking a fight with her brother for absolutely no reason. Nevertheless, she knew better and kept her emotions in check, her passive nature still dominant.

"Cmon, there's no reason for this. Azzy didn't do anything to you."

Brick suddenly looked over at Frisk and pointed, perhaps even more furious that his little tirade wasn't getting a rise out of her.

"You shut up! It's pathetic, spending all his time with you when you're not even really his sister. You're ADOPTED. His parents only took you in because they felt sorry for you. Nobody gives a damn about you!"

That wasn't even remotely close to accurate, or fair, but his words still stung hard, and Frisk suddenly looked away, brow-beaten, not sure how to respond to a statement like that.

But she didn't have to. Someone else did it for her.

"HEY! That's my sister you're talking about! How DARE you say something like that to her! I spend all my time with her because she's my best friend! It's none of your damn business who I spend my time with anyway!"

 _Azzy..._

"And she has done more for our people then you'll ever achieve in your life, Brick. All you do is go around picking on people, brandishing your hatred of humans, and for what? Your behavior is the reason humans once hated us to begin with, the reason some of them STILL hate us. You've learned nothing, and it's pathetic. YOU'RE pathetic."

Brick just stood there, his face contorting as his rage grew. His hands were clutched tightly into meaty fists again, and he was staring down at the ground beneath him. Asriel and Frisk could both feel the anger and hatred radiating off of him like an oppressive aura, violating everything around him. It was as if gravity itself felt heavier in his presence. It had already spoiled enough of their day, and they weren't going to indulge him one more second of their time.

"Frisk, forget this loser. Don't listen to anything he says. Let's go."

She nodded hesitantly, feeling better about herself. They grabbed their lunchboxes off the bench and began walking away, back to class.

However...

"DON'T YOU TURN YOUR BACK ON ME, DREEMURR!"

More of an involuntary response than anything, Frisk turned her head as she heard heavy footsteps fast approaching from behind.

 _Oh no!_

"AZZY, LOOK OUT!"

He turned too late to see Brick sprinting at him, his shoulder lowered as if he was going to bust down a door. In desperation, Frisk shoved Asriel out of the way just as Brick charged into her with ramming speed, sending her sprawling fifteen feet through the air. She landed on the hard dirt path connected to the school entrance, on the same shoulder that Brick had slammed into. Her lunchbox landed further away, the hard impact cracking it and forcing it open, throwing its contents in all directions.

 **HP reduced to 08/20**

"FRISKKKKK!"

Immediately Asriel sprinted over to Frisk and knelt down, putting one hand behind her head for support, the other around her waist as he tried to help her up. A couple other students saw what was happening and ran to Frisks side as well.

"Hey, are you alright!?"

"Somebody get the nurse!"

Asriel pulled her head up onto his lap for support.

"A...zzy, I..."

She was knocked senseless and almost completely unable to move. The pain was soundless but so loud, even though Frisk couldn't say much to make it known. It was a miracle she was even still conscious. Asriel just stared down at the barely lucid Frisk wrapped in his arms, not sure what to do.

"This is my fault, Frisk! I'm so sorry!"

He blamed himself, being the one who antagonized Brick and provoked him to attack. But Frisk was having none of it, even now.

"N...no, it's n...not..."

Brick was still standing behind him, dumbfounded, only now realizing what he had just done.

"H-hey, I didn't mean to..."

But it was too late, and Asriel had had enough at this point. Gently letting Frisk down to lay against the dirt again, his furry hands were clutched tight as he rose to his feet.

He turned to face his..their tormenter. His eyes, his shining green pupils...they changed. In an instant, they clouded over until they were nothing but black. Empty voids of scorn and hatred, just like...

 _Oh no..._

Frisk knew what was about to happen and struggled to get herself back up, but her body wasn't cooperating with her at this moment. She couldn't even gather enough strength to push herself up into a sitting position.

Asriel took a step forward now. Towards Brick.

"I've had enough of you, Brick."

Brick took a step back in panic, a new look taking form on his face. A look of fear.

"Hey, let's talk this out. W-We can come to an..."

"SHUT UP!"

He scowled in his rage.

"Do you realize what you've DONE!? Frisk never did anything to you, and now you've gone and hurt her. You've hurt someone very, very dear to me...and now I'm gonna hurt YOU!"

Asriels posture changed, his arms raised, digging his toes into the dirt for traction. His nostrils flared and his muzzle was scrunched and wrinkled in anger and rage. He held his hands out in front of him, palms facing upward, and a second later a pair of prismatic stars manifested in each one.

"I-I'm sorry, Asriel! I didn't mean to..."

"I SAID SHUT UP!"

 _Cmon, Frisk...get UP!_

It took everything she had in her, the pain flaring anew as she forced herself into motion, but Frisk finally pushed herself up into a sitting position and began crawling towards Asriel, the rocky dirt scraping the sensitive flesh of her palms and her knees. Only a few feet away, but in her condition it felt like an endless stretch.

Inch by inch.

"P-Please, Asriel! I'm sorry! I won't do it again!"

But Bricks pleas for **MERCY** fell on deaf ears.

"You're damn right you won't do it again, not after I'm done with you! I hope you like pain, because I've got an entire SPECTRUM worth of it, right here!"

The spectral energy in his hands intensified, and Asriel raised his arms, ready to attack.

"STAR BLA-"

 _ **"STOP!"**_

He froze in stance, breaking eye contact with Brick. He was staring forward, at nothing.

"WHA-?"

A voice called out to him, distant and yet so close.

 _ **"Please, Azzy!"**_

And then a few seconds later...

"STOP!"

Asriel suddenly looked down as he felt a human hand grab his ankle.

It was Frisk.

"Please, Azzy! Don't do this! Don't hurt him! Please...I know you're better than this!"

He looked down at her with surprise. After everything Brick had done to her, she STILL felt this way?

"Frisk!?"

And she did. There had been enough violence already, and Frisks pacifist nature shined bright in this moment.

"Please..."

Asriel looked down at the starry comets in his hand, aware of what he was about to do, and suddenly started shaking, horrified. Terrified of what he had almost done in his anger.

"W-w...what am I doing!?"

With a deep breath, Asriel calmed himself and came back to his senses, the shimmering stars in his hands dissipating. The black voids in his eyes vanished and were once again replaced with the shining green pupils that he inherited from his father. And not even a second later he was on his knees, holding Frisks hands in his own.

"I'm...I'm so sorry Frisk!"

And Frisk instantly cupped one hand over his, giving it a gentle pat in response.

"Oh, Azzy..."

And flashed a smile at him, one of genuine warmth and kindness, completely undaunted by her pain. Brick, being the opportunistic coward that he was, saw his chance and took it, running off.

"I'm outta here!"

But he didn't get far, only a few feet, before he was forcibly levitated off the ground, surrounded by a bright blue aura.

"going somewhere, pal?"

Asriel turned his head and, sure enough, there was Professor Sans, standing right behind him.

 _How does he do that?_

"Sans! Frisk is..."

"i know, monster kid told me. i came as soon as i heard. you okay, kiddo?"

Frisk nodded in response, not at all sure that she really was okay, but not wanting to cause anyone else more worry. And a few seconds later, Monster Kid emerged from the nearby classroom, kneeling over Frisk.

"Frisk, you're hurt!"

She looked over at Brick, still being held off the ground by magic.

"asriel, can you help frisk to the infirmary?"

Without hesitation, Asriel put his arms around Frisk, one underneath her legs, the other behind her back, and a second later she was lifted off the ground. She giggled in surprise.

"Heh, I feel like I just got married."

Both Asriel and Sans laughed in response.

"Hah! You wish!"

"he's gotta give you a ring first."

With Frisk in his arms, Asriel started walking towards the nurses station.

"Cmon, sis. Let's get you some help."

Sans stood watching until they disappeared from sight, then turned his attention to a still immobilized Brick.

"as for you, pal...i hope you're ready to have a **'bad time.'** i think this calls for a good old parent-teacher conference. let's go."

Sans and M.K began walking back towards the classroom, with Brick magically in tow.

"Ow, OW! PLEASE, NOT THE EARS!"

...

"Ouch, he nailed you all right. Hold on..."

With a bright flash of cooling blue light, the pink rabbit-like nurse gently put her furry hands on Frisks sore shoulder, and a few seconds later the pain and the cuts and bruising had mostly subsided. Asriel was sitting next to her on the nearby chair, holding her hand for support.

 **HP restored to 15/20**

"There. Feeling better, honey?"

Moving her shoulder around in a circular motion, she nodded in reply. It still hurt, but she could move at least.

"A little bit. Thank you."

The door suddenly flung open and a hysterical Toriel charged into the room.

"FRISK! ASRIEL!"

She ran over and embraced her kids as tight as she could, forgetting Frisks injury in her panic.

 _Ouch..._

"Careful Mom, her shoulder..."

Instantly she relaxed her grip a bit, kissing them both on the forehead.

"I'm sorry! I'm SO sorry this happened! Are you okay, Frisk!?"

The nurse interjected on their behalf.

"It's a pretty nasty bruise, but I think she'll be alright."

Truthfully, it could have been a lot worse, but the nurse didn't want to go that far. Toriel looked around at everybody now, desperate for some sort of answer.

"Why, though? What happened?"

Before anybody could respond, another voice made itself known.

"i got all the details from m.k and the others."

Frisk shouted excitedly as she noticed the pudgy skeleton now standing in the doorway.

"Sans!"

He winked at her in response.

"hey kiddo, feeling any better?"

She nodded, doing her best to ignore the pain. It wasn't as bad as it was before, but it was still there.

"well, apparently brick was aiming for asriel, and frisk shoved him out of the way, taking the hit for him."

Asriel nodded, feeling a bit disappointed in himself.

"It should be me getting treated for an injury right now. I'm sorry Frisk, I let you down again..."

But she shook her head in detestment.

"That's not true, Azzy! You brought me here and got me help. I wouldn't have made it to the infirmary on my own..."

Sans added to that sentiment.

"it shouldn't have happened to begin with. i'm sorry i didn't get there sooner, kiddo. it's really my fault."

Toriel interrupted them all at that moment to clear the air.

"It's nobodies fault. Exactly as you said, it should have never happened to begin with. But what about Brick?"

Sans grinned in genuine amusement.

"oh, don't worry toriel. i gave that kid enough detention to round out the entire school year. he'll be writing on the chalkboard for hours after class every day, 'i'll never hurt another student again.' i called his parents too, they're completely on board for it. apparently he has disciplinary problems at home too."

He looked over at Frisk now with a follow-up to his previous statement.

"they also said they are very sorry for what happened to both of you, frisk, asriel. they said they'll buy you new a lunchbox to replace the one he broke."

Frisk nodded at everyone in response and stood up now, still a little wobbly from the ordeal, but Asriel was still holding her hand for support.

"Thank you, everyone. I think I'm okay now."

The nurse was overly cautious though.

"I think you should take the rest of the day off. You're in no condition to be walking around right now. Toriel, you should take her home."

Toriel was in complete agreement, much to Frisks dismay.

"Yes, I agree. I'm sorry Frisk, I know you don't like being pulled out early, but I think it would be for the best."

Frisk sighed in disappointment. She loved school and didn't like missing out, even when it was beyond her control. But they were right. She could barely even stand, let alone walk around.

"...well, if you say so."

"it's okay, kiddo. i'll make sure asriel brings you all the homework due this monday."

Asriel suddenly looked at Sans with surprise.

"WHAT!?"

Homework on a weekend. Disgusting.

"hahahaha, just kidding. there's no homework today."

He relaxed a bit. Sans certainly knew how to pull a timely prank.

"PHEW."

The nurse spoke up now with instructions for Frisk.

"It'll take at least a few hours for the spell to fully mend your injury. Try not to move around too much for the remainder of the day. When you get home, put some ice on that shoulder and get some rest. Doctors orders, okay?"

"Okay..."

"Toriel, please stay for a few moments while I write up some instructions for the rest of the day."

"Alright, thank you."

The recess bell rang, and Sans held the door open for Asriel now.

"cmon, sport. walk with me to class."

He stood now and started walking, stopping halfway through the door, and turn backed to Frisk to wave goodbye.

"I'll see you at home, sis. Hope you feel better soon!"

Frisk giggled and waved back.

"Thanks, bro, I'll cya later."

A few seconds later Asriel was out the door, and Sans was following close behind until they were outside again, walking side by side on the way back to class.

"by the way, asriel..."

Asriel glanced a look over at Sans mid-stride.

"Yeah?"

"the other kids...they told me everything. what you were about to do."

He suddenly froze where he stood, shivering, staring down at his paws.

"you were gonna beat the hell out of him, weren't you?"

He said nothing and made no move.

"i'm not upset, asriel. i just want to know the truth."

He sighed with heavy regret and answered, bluntly, but honestly.

"I'm sorry, Sans. Brick...he hurt Frisk, and not just physically. He said things, horrible things, and I could tell it was really bothering her. I just..."

"i know. like i said, i'm not upset, don't worry about it."

He flashed a look of surprise at Sans now. Even if Sans wasn't upset at him, he was upset with himself, nearly letting his anger get the better of him. Shades of Flowey were still there, even if they were buried deep down, and it worried Asriel immensely.

"But I almost really hurt him. I was 'this' close to attacking him, Sans. That scares me..."

Sans reassured him though.

"but you didn't hurt him. you stopped yourself, you walked away, because you knew what you were doing was wrong. you chose to help frisk instead. that takes courage kid, to walk away from something like that. i'm proud of ya."

"Sans..."

After a moment of reflection they started walking again, Asriel with his hands in his pockets like Sans, feeling better about himself.

"I just hope she's okay. I really let her down today."

Again, Sans reassured him.

"she's a tough one, that kid. trust me, i'm sure she's fine. and you didn't let her down, asriel. you stood up for her and helped her when she needed you. don't kick yourself so much, sport. you did really good today, and knowing her, i'm sure she's proud of you too."

Asriel felt better at that, hearing praise coming from someone like Sans. And immediately Asriel was struck with inspiration.

"Hey! Do you think maybe we can get the rest of the class to write her some 'get well soon' cards or something? That might make her feel better."

Sans was completely on board for that idea.

"that sounds really cool. i could probably even get papyrus to sign it. i'll suggest it when we get back. don't expect one from brick though, he'll be writing on the chalkboard in detention until his arms fall off."

They were both laughing at that thought as they walked into class to finish out the day.

...

 **Three hours later**

...

"Mom, Dad, I'm home!"

Asriel walked through the front door, closing it behind him.

"Welcome home, son!"

Asgore announced from the den, sitting in the recliner with a book. Toriel was on the couch further away, hard at work with her knitting. They both had a look of concern on their face.

"Where's Frisk? Is she alright?"

Toriel gently put a finger to her lips.

"She's up in her room, asleep. She didn't say much when I brought her home, but I can tell something is really bothering her. Do you know anything about it?"

He nodded, knowing exactly what the problem was.

"Yeah...Brick said some really nasty things to her before he attacked us, about her being adopted."

Toriel put her hands over her snout in disgust.

"WHAT!? Oh, dear..."

Asgore gently set his book and his glasses on the coffee table and looked over at Toriel.

"Golly, I can't believe this happened. I've got a mind to go to that kids house and..."

Not that anybody could blame him for feeling that way, that "kid" having physically and verbally assaulted one of his children, but Toriel put her hands on her hips, chiding him before he could finish that thought.

"Asgore!"

He visibly flinched when he heard his name, sighing to himself. Asriel didn't say a word.

"I know, I know. I just...poor Frisk. Maybe we should go up and talk to her, Tori?"

Asriel shook his head in response to that.

"Wait, let me talk to her first. Please."

Asgore and Toriel looked at each other for a moment, and then nodded at Asriel in silent agreement.

"Alright, son. Don't wake her if she's sleeping though."

With a quick turn, Asriel made his way up the stairs, carefully taking them step by step so as not to make too much noise. The door to their room was already open a crack, and Asriel could hear the soft ambient volume of the television and Mettaton's show through the open space. He gently pushed the door open enough to fit his head through and peeked inside.

Frisk was awake, laying on her right shoulder, the one that wasn't injured.

"Howdy, Frisk...how are you doing?"

She quietly sat up from her bed and, remote in hand, muted the volume on the TV. She was in a clean change of clothes, her usual blue long-sleeve, matching shorts and white socks, and her bobbed auburn hair was still damp from an earlier bath. Physically she looked better than before, the nurses magic having mended most of her injury now, and there was an ice pack on the nightstand, the condensation collecting into a small pool atop the plate it was set on.

She gave Asriel a warm smile, happy to see him home.

"Hey, Azzy! I'm better now. It doesn't hurt anymore, just a little stiff."

He walked in and closed the door behind him, setting his backpack next to Frisks bedside.

"That's good to hear! I got something for ya!"

He sat on the edge of her bed and quietly went into his backpack. A few seconds later he came out with a thick sheet of poster paper, rolled up into a tube.

"Here, open it up."

With careful hands, Frisk unrolled the delicate parchment, revealing it's contents,. It contained a carefully drawn picture of Frisk holding a pair of beakers, with goggles on her head.

 _Get Well Soon, Frisk!_

 _ **Sans**_ _ational Science!_

It was signed by Sans and every single student in class, Asriel included. Even Papyrus took time out of his day to sign it, having heard about the whole ordeal from Sans. Master Chef Papyrus, rather.

"I drew that, and I got everybody in class to sign it. Brick isn't on the list, but I didn't even ask him. I didn't want him anywhere near this thing, and he was stuck in Detention anyway."

With tears in her eyes, Frisk gently hugged the card to her chest, then gave her brother a gentle kiss on his cheek, a bit of her flirty side showing. He was blushing immediately.

"Thanks, Azzy! This was really sweet of you."

He smiled in turn, but looked away just as fast, remembering how and why things ended up like this in the first place.

"I...I'm sorry, Frisk. What happened to you...it's all my fault. Because I opened my big mouth and said what I said, he..."

But she shook her head in response. This was one of Asriels more annoying habits, tending to blame himself when things go wrong around him, even when it's never really his fault, or at least beyond his control. It bothered Frisk that he punished himself so hard sometimes when he didn't need to, but given everything that he had been through in the past, it wasn't hard to understand why he treated himself this way. Some habits are very hard to unlearn.

"Stop kicking yourself so much Azzy! It's not your fault at all! Brick was going to attack us no matter what you said, I felt it. It was turning our backs on him that set him off. There's no reasoning with someone like him, and I was a fool to try..."

He wasn't letting himself off so easily.

"I almost really hurt him though..."

She sympathized with him in this moment.

"If I were in your position I honestly might have done the same thing. I was so angry when he started picking a fight with you, and even I wanted to hurt him..."

He looked at her again, curious about something else.

"But you stopped me anyway...you STOPPED me from hurting him."

That statement was much easier for Frisk to answer.

"I didn't want you to do something you would regret, Azzy..."

He still couldn't shake his fears.

"It scares me, Frisk. What if I really end up doing that to someone else?"

She reassured him.

"You won't."

He still wasn't so sure.

"B-but it almost happened today..."

And she reaffirmed him with the truth.

"I saw you, Azzy. You hesitated. You could have unleashed that attack at any second and I would have been powerless to stop you. But you didn't. You stopped YOURSELF, because you knew what you were doing was wrong, and it's not easy to walk away from something like that. Trust me, I know, I've felt that way once before, as much as I hate admitting that. I'm not upset at you, Azzy, I'm...I'm proud of you."

He smiled upon hearing that. It was awfully similar to something Sans had said earlier, but hearing Frisk say something like that, after everything that had happened, he took it as a positive reflection of his character. Sans was right. He was always right, something that annoyed both of them usually. Not this time though.

"And if it does ever happen again, I'll be there to SAVE you, so relax."

He couldn't help but laugh at that statement. Saving people DID seem to be a special talent of Frisks, alongside flirting and her insatiable craving for Dreemurr hugs. But his concern for her rose in this moment.

"Are you really okay, Frisk?"

She nodded, not at all sure that she really was.

"Yeah, I'm okay Azzy, really. I...well, I WAS kind of upset earlier. It's just...some of the things Brick said really got to me."

Asriel cocked his head in response.

"You mean about you being adopted?"

Frisk sighed, staring down at her lap, her hands cupped together.

"Yeah, it really hurt, and I've been dwelling on it since I came home. I didn't really know what to say to Mom or Dad, so I just kept it to myself, and it's been nagging at me since. And I know you once said it didn't make any difference whether I was adopted or not, but..."

He smiled again upon hearing that.

"I meant it, Frisk."

Now Asriel looked up towards the ceiling, deep in thought as he drifted through his memories.

"But, you know, you're not the only one. Chara felt that way too, when we first took her in all those years ago. It was awkward for her those first few months. She felt like she was a stranger around us."

Frisk flashed a look of surprise now.

"She did?"

He nodded.

"Yeah, and it took a while for her to open up to us, to get to the point where she truly felt like she was a part of the family."

And Frisk felt the need to satisfy her curiosity.

"What changed? When did she finally feel that way?"

A smile appeared on Asriels face as he reflected on a very dear memory.

"When I gave her the locket. It was...the happiest I had ever seen her."

Frisk clutched at her own locket now, popping it open to gaze at the photo and the engraving within.

 **Best Friends Forever: A + C + F**

Asriel had given it to her 15 months ago, officially christening her as both his best friend and his sibling, like he did with Chara all those years ago, and it was very precious to her.

"R-really?"

He nodded again.

"Yeah, and I'm going to tell you exactly what I told her at the time."

He suddenly grabbed her hands, pulling them towards him.

"It doesn't matter whether you're human or monster, adopted or not. That doesn't make any difference whatsoever. What matters is the time we've spent together. What we've shared together."

Frisk started blushing and her eyes began to water.

"So don't let that jerk, or anybody else, try to convince you otherwise Frisk. You ARE a part of this family, and that will never change, no matter what."

"Azzy..."

Now Frisk was crying, not out of sadness or pain, but out of joy. Asriel certainly knew how to cheer someone up, and suddenly Frisk wondered why she was ever upset to begin with. She had to knob her eyes to wipe away the cascade of oncoming tears, but Asriel could tell he had just made her day a little brighter.

"T-thanks, Azzy. I'm...I'm really lucky. I have the best brother in the world."

Immediately Asriel stood up and pulled Frisk off the bed into an enormous hug, careful not to agitate the sensitive region of her injury. She found her arms pinned to her sides as her feet left the ground, her legs dangling as he gently swung her back and forth. Asriel was well aware of his own strength and was very careful not to hurt her, but his claws still resulted in some collateral damage in the form of torn clothing and even scratched wooden floors. In retrospect, carpet would have been a smarter choice for the house, and even Toriel and Asgore were guilty of this to some degree. Their claws were tiny and mostly harmless to skin and flesh, but a large portion of Frisks wardrobe would beg to differ, especially her trademark long-sleeve.

Frisk herself didn't care one bit though.

"Oh no! The Legendary Hugmaster has caught Frisk in the grip of his bone-crushing embrace! There's no escape once he gets you! Looks like it's CURTAINS for our heroine!"

Asriel was ridiculously affectionate with his family, just like his parents. He loved nose nuzzling, he loved holding hands, and he loved hugs, and he really had no equal in any department, having learned from the best. Honestly this wasn't unusual for Monsters, given that love was a necessary component for a Monster to even exist, but the Dreemurrs took physical affection to a whole new level. Asriel was an absolute sweetheart, and so were Toriel and Asgore. It was one of the things Chara loved about Asriel so much, how affectionate and kind he was, even if she couldn't understand it at the time, and Frisk was no different. She was just giggling away as he swung her around and around, no longer a care in the world.

"Dork alert! Dork alert! All hands, go to DorkCon 1!"

A knock on the door. Asriel finally set Frisk down, smiling at one another, and they both called out to whoever was on the other side.

"Come in!"

The door gently swung open. Toriel and Asgore were standing in the hallway, clearly worried about Frisk over what transpired earlier.

"Is everything okay, children?"

Frisk responded happily.

"Yeah, feeling much better Mom, thanks to Sir Dorkus here."

Asriel giggled and both Toriel and Asgore smiled, feeling very relieved at Frisks sudden increase in spirits.

"Wonderful, Frisk. Are you both still up for going to Grillby's tonight?"

They nodded at each other excitedly.

"Of course! We're gonna win tonights Nose Nuzzling competition, after all!"

Toriel flashed a look of surprise. Asgore was amused by his sons statement and threw down the gauntlet in response.

"You think so, Asriel? You think you can beat your old Mom and Dad?"

He suddenly grabbed Frisks hand and nuzzled her cheek in response.

"With Frisk as my partner, we can't lose!"

She giggled in reply, his wet nose and the fur on his long snout gently tickling her cheek. Toriel was still a little concerned though.

"Are you sure you're up for it, Frisk? We don't want you to push yourself if you're still hurting from earlier."

She shook her head, the pain having subsided completely at this point.

"I'm fine now, Mom! Feel like a million gold! Doesn't even hurt anymore."

Toriel and Asgore nodded at one another, then smiled back at their children.

"Oh, I'm so relieved! Okay then, we're leaving in ten minutes. Get ready to go, children."

They nodded in response. Toriel reached for the doorknob and had nearly shut the door completely, when...

"Wait!"

The door swung open again, Toriels hand still on the knob.

"What is it, Frisk?"

Frisk stood there for a few seconds, her eyes beginning to well up with tears again, causing everyone to worry.

"Frisk, are you alright?"

She hesitated for a second, before nodding excitedly.

"I'm fine, really. I just..."

Without warning, she darted forward towards Toriel, colliding with her hard enough to knock her back a full step. Toriel just stood there, unsure of what to do, hesitantly putting a hand on the back of Frisks head to console her until she finally spoke up again.

"T-THANK YOU FOR BEING MY MOM AND DAD!"

Immediately everyone was in tears.

"Oh, Frisk..."

In all of three seconds, Toriel dropped to her knees and hugged Frisk with enough force to squeeze the stuffing out of a teddy bear, her thick robes nearly swallowing the young child whole. She assaulted Frisk with an endless barrage of nuzzles, invoking a combination of giggles and sobs in response. They stayed like this for a minute or two before Toriel spoke up again, comforting Frisk with a wonderful truth.

"We know Brick said some terrible things to you, Frisk, but none of them are true, and don't you ever let someone like him convince you otherwise. You're our daughter, and we love you very much."

Even more sobs and giggles. Asgore was on his knees now as well, one arm around Toriel, the other around Frisk, resting his head on Frisks other shoulder. Frisk turned her gaze towards Asriel now, who was still standing in the middle of their room, his arms crossed, smiling as the whole scene played out. She motioned for him to join in the happy moment.

"Get over here you big dork!"

Without any hesitation he ran forward as well. Toriel had just enough time to open up an arm to make room for him. He threw one arm around his mother, the other around Frisk, and Toriel pulled them close enough to nuzzle both of them simultaneously. The whole family stayed huddled like this for at least five minutes, not a care in the world. Nothing else mattered.

They finally pulled away from each other after several minutes, Toriel looking back and forth between Asriel and Frisk with a hand on each of their cheeks, giving them both a loving kiss on their foreheads.

"Let's do something fun this weekend. Whatever the two of you want. Just name it."

Frisk and Asriel nodded at each other, knowing exactly what they wanted to do. They had talked about it earlier in the day, before the incident with Brick, and they spoke in unison.

"BEACH!"

Toriel and Asgore looked at each other briefly in surprise. It was 60 miles away to the beach where Alphys and Undyne lived and they didn't have a car, so making the journey on foot wouldn't work, but Toriel had already been planning a surprise trip with Sans and Papyrus to visit Alphys and Undyne. Papyrus was going to be the designated driver, seeing as he was the only one among them who owned a car (and a nice one at that, a red convertible) and actually had a Driver's License, much to Sans chagrin, believing his brother to be incapable of passing the exam.

They turned back to their children in agreement.

"Done! I'll call Sans and Papyrus and set it up first thing in the morning."

Asriel and Frisk high-fived each other in their joy (high-four in Asriels case).

"Oh, could we invite M.K to the beach too?"

"Of course! He's always welcome to join us! We can stop by his house on the way to Grillby's and invite him to dinner too!"

Asriel and Frisk were visibly excited from hearing that. Toriel and Asgore stood now, not wanting to waste any more time.

"Alright, get ready to go, children. We're leaving in five minutes."

They both nodded with glee as Toriel closed their door. A few seconds later they were scrambling in front of the dresser for a change of clothes, and then Asriel was behind the dorm divider as he quickly got out of Soccer uniform and threw on his chosen outfit, while Frisk turned away, throwing on her shoes in the process.

A minute later he emerged from behind the divider. They looked at each other for a second before bursting out with laughter. Asriel was going in his original outfit as well, his yellow striped long-sleeve and black pants.

"Haha, great minds think alike, Azzy."

They shared a few laughs together before Frisk made for the door. But before she could get her hand on the knob...

"Hey, Frisk..."

Asriel called out as she turned to face him. There was a tone of discomfort in his voice, if his shy posture didn't give it away, and she picked up on it immediately.

"What is it, Azzy? You okay?"

She walked over to him to see what was up.

"Yeah, it's just...earlier today, when I hesitated...it wasn't your voice that I heard. At least, not at first."

"What?"

He looked away, as if he was ashamed for keeping it a secret for so long.

"It...it was Chara. I heard her voice, Frisk."

She flashed a look of curiosity.

"Is it the first time you've heard her voice since...?"

He shook his head.

"...no, I talk to her occasionally, maybe once a month. I didn't even know that we could talk to each other until almost six months after we left the Underground. But when I do talk to her, it's because I reached out consciously to make a connection with her. It's something I can only do every now and then, and only for a few minutes each time. This time though, she was the one who called out to ME."

After a few seconds, Frisk asked the pertinent question.

"And what did she say?"

He closed his eyes as he recalled his earlier experience.

"Well..."

 _ **"STOP! Please, Azzy! Don't do this! You're not like this! Don't give in to your anger! Don't make the same mistake I did! Please..."**_

He was staring deep into Frisks squinted eyes now, a look of confusion taking form on his face.

"I've been thinking about what she said all day, and I...'don't make the same mistake I did.' What does it mean, Frisk?"

She smiled at him, taking his hands into her own, raising them up to his heart.

"It means...it means she loves you, Azzy. And so do I."

She touched a hand to her own heart in response.

"And if one day, for whatever reason, I'm not there to **SAVE** you...she **WILL** be. You can count on that."

He gave a shy smile in response, and his eyes were beginning to water again.

"Frisk..."

She squeezed his hands as the first tear rolled down his cheek. Asriel fell to his knees and, in the blink of an eye, Frisk found her arms pinned to her sides again as Asriel pulled her into another spine-crushing hug, squeezing her so tightly that it almost interfered with her breathing. His tears ran down HER face now as they nuzzled cheek to cheek, and soon her tears rolled forth and mixed with his, creating a cascade of neverending waterworks that began to pool into the floorboards beneath them.

"I love you too, Frisk. **Both** of you. So much."

They both stayed like this for a while, wishing it could go on forever, until their mothers call snapped them out of their tearful moment.

"TIME TO GO, CHILDREN!"

Grabbing Asriels hand again, Frisk pulled him towards the door.

"Cmon, bro! Let's go have some fun."

And as they made their way downstairs to answer their mothers call, Asriel spoke to himself in silence, making a vow that he would always uphold from that day onward.

 _I'll never let anyone hurt you again, Frisk. I'll_ _ **always**_ _be there for you. I'll_ _ **always**_ _be there to protect you, no matter what._

"Right behind you, sis!"

 **...**

 **Four hours later**

 **...**

The sound of jingling keys filled the air as the front door swung open.

"Home sweet home."

Asgore held the door open as Toriel and the kids walked inside. Toriel was holding a trophy from the Nose Nuzzling competition, silver in color, with 2nd Place and the names Toriel and Asgore on its placard. Asriel and Frisk were holding a trophy as well, one made of gold and much bigger in size. They gave each other a huge dopey smile as they read its placard aloud.

 **2029** **Nose Nuzzling Contest**

 **1st Place**

 **Asriel Dreemurr - Frisk Dreemurr**

"Told you we were gonna win, Azzy! You were great!"

He jumped up and down in sheer joy.

"Yeah, you were great too, Frisk! That was so much fun!"

Toriel smiled at both of them. She wasn't bitter at all about losing, and shared in their joy.

"You were both wonderful! But now it's time for bed. You'll need plenty of rest for tomorrows trip to the beach. Upstairs, children, and be sure to brush your teeth! I'll be along to tuck you in shortly."

"Okay Mom!"

They shouted excitedly as they took the stairs two by two, holding their trophy in one hand each. Toriel giggled as she watched them ascend the stairs with their shiny trophy in tow, but Asgore had a look of defeat on his face. He slumped down in his recliner, in complete denial of what had happened.

"They...they actually beat us. I can't believe it. They even got a perfect score from the judges! We've lost our touch, Tori."

She wrapped her arms around him from behind and kissed his cheek.

"No we haven't, honey. We just taught our kids well."

He gave a sheepish chuckle, reflecting on the aftermath of the competition. Dogamy and Dogaressa were there as well, well-rehearsed and ready to finally take 1st Place, but it simply wasn't meant to be. They came in 3rd, much to Dogamys infuriation.

"Did you see the look on Dogamys scruffy face after Burgerpants announced the winner? I've never seen him that upset before. His expression said it all. 'How!? How did we lose to a couple of...KIDS!?'"

Toriel laughed as she found a place to put their trophy, on the mantle above the fireplace. There was a spot right in the middle for it, alongside various family photos.

"They'll get over it eventually. It's supposed to be in good fun, right? I think they take it too seriously."

He nodded in agreement.

"Yes. There's always next time. I still had a lot of fun, and so did Frisk and Asriel. That's what matters."

He stood now, resolved to be happy for his children. She was right, it meant they had taught them well. Besides, they still beat Dogamy and Dogaressa, who had only ever competed for the glory and fame. Toriel and Asgore competed because it was fun and because they genuinely loved each other. That's not to say that Dogamy and Dogaressa didn't genuinely love each other too, but for Toriel and Asgore, it was proof that the romance was still there, like a rose in winter hibernation.

She took his hand and pulled him towards the stairs.

"Let's go put them to bed, honey."

 **...**

Frisk pushed the divider aside as she had just changed into her pajamas, a matching blue t-shirt and long pants, with a Delta Rune etched on the front. A lot of their clothing was hand-sewn by Toriel, who was quite the skilled seamstress, especially when it came to knitting. Asriels pajamas were basically a simplified version of his trademark outfit, a yellow striped t-shirt and black shorts, exposing more of the fine icy fur on his arms and legs. His bed also had fewer sheets and blankets, which actually helped him to sleep through the warmer nights.

The house was constantly set at a chilly 58 degrees during the summer. Boss Monsters needed the lower temperature to survive the warmer days because their fur made them more prone to perspiration and overheating. Frisk had to compensate by wearing warmer clothing indoors and bundling up at night especially, but she didn't mind this whatsoever. She loved cold weather, and it was much better than having to sweat out a hot day without air conditioning.

"I'm so excited for tomorrow!"

Frisk exclaimed as she sat on her bed, bouncing up and down. Asriel was in front of the wardrobe, standing on his tippy-toes, trying to reach high enough to put the trophy on top of the wardrobe where they could both see it. The claws on his toes were scratching the wooden floorboards beneath him, and he was completely unaware of the damage he was causing in his excitement. Carpet was in the immediate future at this rate.

 _Why didn't he just ask me for a boost, or ask Mom to do it for him?_

Finally he got the trophy over the edge and set it on top of their wardrobe, the placard facing outward, visible from both beds. He stood back and marveled in awe at their accomplishment, finally answering Frisk with an excited response of his own.

"Yeah, me too!"

He turned to face Frisk now, who was standing on top of her bed, pinning the 'get well' card Asriel had made for her onto the wall above her night stand. He conjured a pair of spectral comets in his hands.

"Now, how about a light show, sis?"

She looked at those colorful stars for a few seconds before answering his question with one of her own.

"Actually...I was wondering if we could give the whole magic thing another shot one of these days. After seeing what the nurse could do with her magic, healing people...I'd like to be able to do that one day."

He looked at her with surprise.

"Mom would be a better teacher, you know? I honestly have a lot to learn about magic too."

She looked a little shy now.

"I...don't want her to know. Not yet. She might get upset at me for trying to learn something so dangerous. I'd like it to be a surprise if I can actually manage it at some point."

The stars dissipated, and a second later a warm smile took form on his face.

"Alright, Frisk. I'd be happy to give you another lesson."

She smiled back in excitement.

"Hehe, thanks Azzy! I'm gonna try really hard this time!"

There was a knock on the door, and then a second later it swung open. Toriel walked into the room, her arms hung low and her hands cupped together, and Asgore peeked his head in behind her, giving off dopey smiles to both of his kids.

"Bedtime, children. Let's go, you know the routine."

Immediately they scrambled into bed, pulling their blankets over them and laying back against their pillows. They were well rehearsed at this, being that it was a nightly ritual for them.

Frisk was always first in line, being that she was closer to the door. Toriel sat on the edge of her bed and leaned in close.

"Teeth?"

Frisk flashed her pearly whites for Toriel to see. They were so clean and well cared for that they sparkled underneath the ceiling lights.

"Very good."

A perfect mother in so many ways. Toriel grabbed the pillow behind Frisks head and fluffed it out, setting it back behind her. Frisk laid back in response as Toriel tucked the covers in around her, gently brushed the hair on her forehead aside and nuzzled her nose before giving her a long, motherly kiss on her cheek.

"Sweet dreams, Frisk."

She stood and walked over to Asriels bed, repeating the process. When he was tucked in, she gently kissed his cheek as well.

And then kissed it again, and again and again, invoking a torrent of giggles from Asriel as he struggled to escape from his mothers relentless smooching.

"Mwah! Mwah! Mwah! Mwah!"

"Hahaha, okay okay, I get the picture!"

Toriel giggled in response and ended it with one long, gentle peck on his forehead. She stood now and walked back towards the door, out into the hallway, and turned, reaching into the room to grab the doorknob.

"Good night children. We love you."

They responded in unison.

"Good night, Mom. Good night, Dad. We love you too."

She flicked the light off and gently closed the door. Asgore was stunned by how well she handled the children. He was a good father, but he didn't have the same kind of talent Toriel did. It was a mothers touch, and he was envious of it.

"You're amazing, Tori."

Asgore interpolated as he watched the whole thing unfold, his voice a little louder than he intended. Toriel looked at him and gently put a clawed finger to her lips.

"Shhhh, come with me, honey."

She took his hand and slowly crept to the master bedroom, her bedroom.

"W-where are we going?"

She stopped and turned to face him, swerving her body in a very smooth and subtle way, undoubtedly intended to look sexy, even in those thick robes. The look on her face said it all.

"I want to show you my... **Scandalous Sock Collection."**

It was an invitation. She wanted him to take her to the moon and back. He was mystified by her behavior, wanting to do this here and now, but he was never one to pass up such an opportunity. They were ridiculously affectionate, but they were also very romantic back in their day, even in the erotic sense, and it was starting to show again.

"Ooh, mi'lady."

His hand still in hers, they slowly crept towards the master bedroom and gently shut the door behind them.

...

Asriel heard everything from their room. Boss Monsters had heightened senses compared to humans and other monsters, and hearing was one of them. He was smiling on the inside and turned to face Frisk on the other side of the room, keeping his voice low.

"Do you...think they'll ever get back together again? I mean **really** get back together?"

That was a difficult question to answer, and one that Frisk was certainly ill-equipped to address, but she tried anyway.

"I don't know, Azzy. I can't imagine what Dad must be feeling after all this time, but he seems to be getting better, so...I really hope so."

"Yeah, me too."

She paused for a second, suddenly remembering what she wanted to ask Asriel earlier.

"Hey, Azzy?"

He had both of his hands folded underneath his head now.

"Yeah?"

"You said you still talk to Chara occasionally?"

"Yeah, but not often, maybe once a month, and only for a few moments each time. It's taxing on her...our SOUL, for us to make contact with each other, for us to consciously reach out to one another, and we have to wait a while before we can do it again. But...it's wonderful to hear her voice, even now."

The next question was unexpected.

"Do Mom and Dad know? Have you told them?"

He was hesitant to answer because he felt somewhat bad about it, but he trusted Frisk completely, and so did Chara.

"...no, I haven't. I had thought about it, but Chara didn't want me to, not wanting to put them through any more pain. To be honest, she's still ashamed of what she did, and she thinks they'd still be upset with her if they had the chance to talk to her. I know that's silly, and THEY know she's still with us in spirit, but Chara is afraid that it might hurt them if she were to resurface now. Maybe in the future, when she's ready, but...not yet."

Frisk understood that feeling all too well, so she knew where they both were coming from on the matter.

"I see. Well...I doubt she wants to talk to me either, but next time you hear from her, if she wants to..."

Asriel smiled in response.

"She'd really like that, Frisk."

Frisk returned the smile with interest.

"Yeah, me too."

She reached down underneath the covers and pulled out the locket around her neck, holding it close.

"Good night, Azzy!"

Asriel grabbed his own locket in response.

"Good night, Frisk!"

And as his conscious thoughts drifted into darkness, he reached for Chara's locket on the night stand as well, gently closing his hand around it as he called out to her one last time.

 _Good night, Chara!_


	13. Extra 2 - A Dreemurr Christmas

"MOM! MOM!"

Frisk shouted as she ran down the stairs, with Asriel following close behind.

Another year had passed for the Dreemurr family, and Christmas Eve was only hours away. Asriel and Frisk were getting a little older now, with Frisk being roughly 10 and a half and Asriel only a few weeks away from turning 12, and while there was still a significant difference in size between them (Asriel was roughly 10 inches taller than Frisk), Asriel had stopped growing so much, and Frisk was beginning to catch up. Their personalities hadn't changed much, they were still silly, childish, and dorky at heart, and would probably always be like that. It's just who they were.

Their tastes in fashion, however, were changing, and it showed. Asriel still wore his usual striped long-sleeve, but with a black t-shirt over it, emblazoned with a Delta Rune, and a pair of dark denim jeans in place of his old pants. Frisk had a pink hoodie over her long-sleeve, still blue and striped, but a little larger and also with a Delta Rune on the front. In addition to her typical wardrobe, she now donned a scarf, a blue one that was hand-weaved by Toriel, imitating her dear friend Papyrus. She even had a pair of blue boots to match, although she wasn't wearing them at the moment. She never wore her shoes in the house, generally a house rule, since the Dreemurrs themselves didn't wear shoes at all. Not their their enormous paws could fit into shoes to begin with.

And they both still wore their heart lockets, every day.

Toriel was in the kitchen, still wearing her traditional robes, stirring a large bowl of dough, preparing to make a couple of pies for Christmas dinner (there was no meat allowed in the Dreemurr household, other than snails, if that even counts. Frisk was a vegetarian). Asgore was on the couch with a book and a cup of hot tea, wearing a pink flowery sweater and dark sweats. He didn't give two Temmies for television, always preferring a good read to pass the time instead. Both of them were jolted out of their focus as they heard Frisks cries, and Toriel ran to the foot of the stairs to meet her.

"My child, what is it!?"

Frisks face beheld a look of utter excitement and glee, and Asriels too.

"I HAVE TO SHOW YOU SOMETHING!"

"Oh, um...okay. What?"

Immediately Frisk grabbed Toriels hand and pulled her towards the living room, a very curious Asgore looking on with interest. Asgore had not yet lit the fireplace to heat up the house, but the firewood was already in place, and Frisk decided it would make a perfect test.

"Okay, give me some room please."

Toriel backed away, standing next to Asgore, who was now on his feet as well. Frisk positioned herself about three feet from the fireplace, while Asriel stood next to Frisk, putting a hand on her shoulder for support.

"Remember what I taught you, Frisk. It's all about state of mind. Clear your thoughts. Calm yourself. Take a deep breath, focus, and envision it in your head. You can do it!"

She nodded, closing her eyes.

"Here goes..."

She took a deep breath, exhaled, and raised her hands, open and cupped together.

And a second later, a small fireball manifested over her hands, no larger than a baseball. It hovered mere inches above her palms, its gentle heat warming her cold fingers.

"FRISK, LOOK!"

Asriel screamed as she finally opened her eyes, becoming completely ecstatic when she saw that her hard work had finally paid off.

"LOOK MOM AND DAD!"

Toriel and Asgore were in complete shock at what they had just witnessed. Their minds had been blown to kingdom come and they just stared at each other in complete disbelief.

"W-WOW!"

She had finally learned how to use...

"M-M-MAGIC!"

With a quick flick of her wrists, Frisk extruded her palms outward, towards the fireplace. Not even a second later the fireball she had conjured took flight, exploding into a small shower of embers when it made contact with the firewood, instantly setting it ablaze.

Toriel rushed over to Frisks side and gave her a big sloppy kiss on the forehead, while Asgore just stared in amazement, clapping for Frisks amazing achievement.

"BRAVO, FRISK! BRAVO! MY DAUGHTER LEARNED HOW TO USE MAGIC! INCREDIBLE!"

She had her hands behind her back now, shy and meek as ever.

"I had a good teacher."

Asriel smiled, immediately pulling Frisk into a massive hug to celebrate her accomplishment, momentarily lifting her right off the ground.

"That was AWESOME! I KNEW you could do it!"

Toriel smiled at them both, but also felt like she needed to ask a very personal question at that moment.

"But, Frisk...why didn't you tell me before? Why didn't you tell me that you wanted to learn magic? I would have taught you."

Frisk pulled away from Asriel now, sighing to herself, suddenly feeling bad about all the cloak and dagger. She didn't let it stop her from being honest, though.

"I'm sorry, Mom...I thought you'd be upset with me for wanting to learn something so dangerous. I tried to learn it once before, but it wasn't working out, so I gave up. But then, when I saw what the school nurse was able to do with her magic, healing people, I really wanted to give it another try. I wanted to be like her, to be able to use magic to help people."

Toriel took a moment to process it all, but eventually nodded in approval.

"And Azzy has really cool looking magic too. That was part of the reason that I wanted to learn how to use it in the first place...stupid, huh?"

Asriel was blushing all of the sudden. Toriel simply smiled and shook her head.

"No, not at all. I understand. And I'm not upset, either. What you've done is...it's amazing, Frisk. You should be proud of yourself. I can see Asriel certainly is."

Asriel nodded, and Frisk smiled back.

"However, I do hope you won't mind, Asriel, if I take over Frisks lessons from now on."

Asriel had no problem with that whatsoever. In fact, he was ecstatic about it.

"That'd be great, Mom! Frisk and I can learn it together now! We can be study partners!"

And Frisk was suddenly excited as well.

"YEAH! I can't wait!"

A knock on the door.

"Looks like our guests have arrived, Tori."

"Yes, please let them in, honey."

Toriel cupped her hands together now, looking at both of her children with admiration.

"We'll talk about it soon, but bravo Frisk. Truly, that was incredible. I'm so proud of you!"

"Thanks Mom!"

Asgore opened the front door to greet their visitors, the skeleton brothers. A seasonally dressed Papyrus and Sans, wearing matching green and red sweaters.

"Howdy, friends! Come on in!"

 _He's STILL wearing those damn slippers!?_

Asgore thought to himself. He wondered if Sans ever even bothered to change his socks. Lazy to the core.

"THANK YOU, LORD ASGORE!"

"sup, guys?"

Undyne and Alphys were on their way as well. A whole day of family and fun was planned with music, movies, great food and the company of friends on the most festive day of the year. 2030 was nearing its end, with Asriels 12th birthday only a few weeks away, and many more exciting events planned in the immediate future.

For now, though? It was Christmas at the Dreemurrs, and everyone was invited.

...

"Are you sure you don't need any help with the cooking, Toriel? I trained Papyrus after all!"

Undyne said, offering some assistance to what appeared to be a very engaged Toriel, bouncing back and forth between preparing pies and side dishes to go with Christmas dinner, including stuffing, cranberries, and yams. While she appreciated the kind gesture, she had everything under control and didn't need a loose cannon like Undyne in her kitchen, what with her being a known fire hazard, having once burned down her OWN house on her hangout with Frisk over two years ago.

"Thank you, Undyne, but I can hold my own here. Go spend some time with the others...and make sure Alphys doesn't sneak any of her anime onto the TV. We should be watching Christmas movies, not giant swords and girls in neon pigtails."

"FUHUHUHUHUHU! I KNOW! ANIME IS AWESOME, ISN'T IT!?"

Toriel sighed to herself, having no such interest in something so ridiculous. Hearing all about it from Asgore was enough for her.

"Okay then, lemme know if you do need a hand!"

And with that, Undyne went back to the den to join the rest of the crew. Alphys was sitting on the larger couch with with Papyrus and Sans, already going through anime withdrawal from being away from her prized collection for more than a few minutes. Asriel and Frisk were on the smaller couch, both enjoying a hot cup of tea. Asgore was standing in front of the TV now, sorting through all sorts of christmas movies to put on for their guests, preparing to brave the snow soon to chop more wood for the fire. Papyrus was already ruining his appetite with some home-packed spaghetti, much to Toriels displeasure.

And Sans had more...mischiveous ideas in mind.

"hey, asriel, what's that above your head?"

"Huh?"

He tilted his head back and looked up, with Frisk following suit, her curiosity getting the better of her.

There was a cluster of mistletoe floating above their heads, enveloped by a blue aura, a telltale sign of Sans own magic. Undyne immediately took notice and called out their situation.

"YOU GUYS KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS, RIGHT!?"

More often than not she screamed in a loud, nagging voice like Papyrus. Asriel could feel his cheeks turning red in that moment, and quickly held his hands up in defense, trying to think of an excuse to get out of this silly christmas tradition.

"What!? N-no, cmon Undyne. Frisk is my sister. It wouldn't be right."

But Frisk wasn't going to let him off so easily. Tradition was tradition and must be honored.

"Hey, Azzy?"

He turned to answer Frisk now.

"Yeah?"

Only for Frisk to surprise him with a big wet smooch, right on his fuzzy snout. Immediately he reeled back in terror and disgust, as if he had just caught the cooties, much to Frisks amusement. Usually he loved getting kisses from his sister, little cheek pecks to let him know how much she cherished him, but his snout was sacred and off limits to such a gesture, even from his mother.

"ARGHHHHHHH, FRISKKKKKKK! NOT THE SNOOTLE!"

The **flirt** was strong with this one.

"Hehe, you're blushing, Azzy! I think he likes it."

The entire room burst into laughter at this quasi-romantic foreplay, even though it was only part of a prank and didn't mean anything. Asriel was redder than a tomato at this point, partially from embarrassment, partially from shyness and surprise.

"He's just like you, gramps! So shy and bashful."

Undyne said, pointing out the similarities between father and son. The apple did not fall far from the tree at all. It was all in good fun, and Frisk was right, deep down he did like it, but he would never admit to such a thing out loud, not in his present company.

And he had revenge on his mind in that moment, immediately acting on his dorky impulses.

"NOW YOU'RE GONNA GET IT, FRISK!"

Asriel suddenly pounced on Frisk, pinning her shoulders down against the soft padding of the couch, using his legs to restrain the rest of her body, completely immobilizing her. He had an extremely silly look on his face now, and his muzzle wrinkled as his expression morphed into an all too familiar grin that was both playful and evil at the same time.

"Remember what my new philosophy of the world is?"

And all of a sudden Frisk realized...

"OH NO, PLEASE, NOT THAT! ANYTHING BUT THAT!"

...she was **DOOMED**.

"Oh yes, Frisk, THAT!"

He leaned in closer, bearing his fangs as he raised his hands, wiggling his clawed fingers in front of Frisks face, playfully teasing her with the terror of what was about to unfold.

"In this world...it's **TICKLE** or **BE TICKLED**!"

As soon as the last word left his mouth, his hands reached down towards Frisks underarms, his fingers digging into her sides, unleashing a cruel barrage of coochie coos. Instantly Frisk began thrashing and squirming, as if a bolt of lightning had just tore through her and sent her body into overdrive. She folder her arms in a vain attempt at defense, trying to shield her most vulnerable point of attack, her sensitive tummy.

"PFFAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA, STAHAHAHAP AZZZ-ZZZ-YY!"

Undyne was taking notes. Literally, scribbling on her arm.

"So THAT'S how you beat Frisk! YOU'RE DOOMED NEXT TIME, KID!"

Frisk paid her no mind, she had her hands full just dealing with the silly dork on top of her. Finally mustering her strength, she forcefully pushed Asriel off of her and began to crawl away.

But...

 **But he REFUSED**

"THERE IS NO ESCAPE FROM THE LEGENDARY **TICKLEMASTER** , FRISK!"

...he was having none of it. Asriel grabbed her by the waist and effortlessly pulled her back onto his lap. His arms then wrapped around her in such a way that her own arms were pinned and unable to get any leverage to fight back, while his legs and his paws crossed and wrapped around Frisks lower body, making any sort of movement or resistance impossible.

"NOW I'VE GOT YOU, FRISK! YOU'RE ALL MINE!"

Maintaining his own binding position, his fingers wiggled with renewed enthusiasm as they mercilessly dug into her sides again, and Frisks desperate flailing flared anew. Asriel had to be careful not to injure Frisk with those claws of his, but they were tiny and almost completely harmless, no bigger or sharper than the claws of a kitten. They were used as tools, not as weapons, and in fact, the tiny claws and the soft fur on his fingers only made his tickling shenanigans that much more effective.

"H-he's not hurting her, is he?"

Alphys interjected as she watched this whole charade unfold, concerned that Asriel might have been playing a little rough with Frisk, but Asgore reassured her and put her mind at ease, he himself giggling as the whole thing played out.

"Hehe, of course not, Alphys. He would never hurt his sister. Believe it or not, they do this sort of thing all the time. They're just being kids."

"i believe it. they're both dorks at heart."

Sans couldn't help himself in that moment. Frisk wanted to challenge that statement, knowing there was only one TRUE dork in the Dreemurr household, but she was in no position to do so. She continued to struggle against her brothers bonds valiantly, but to no avail. It was a hopeless battle, and she couldn't even raise her own hands to defend herself. She was strong, but Asriel was stronger, easily able to overpower her because of their difference in size, and the only thing all her thrashing and squirming accomplished was wearing herself out faster, making it easier for Asriel to press the attack.

His hands now began pulling away the fabric protection of her sweater, and her thrashing suddenly intensified as his clawed fingers found and began to maliciously tickle her now exposed tummy. She was helpless against her brothers onslaught and completely at his **MERCY**.

"I can do this forever, you know! I'm having too much fun making you squirm, Frisk! You're so cute when you giggle. How much can you take!? How long can you last!?"

Revenge was sweet, Asriel thought to himself. He was truly enjoying this. In the past, he would sometimes subject Chara to his tickling shenanigans, sometimes as a revenge tactic for sibling rivalry, and other times just to cheer her up and get her to smile when she was in a sulky mood and nothing else worked. Asriel did understand the importance of respecting personal boundaries and knew when to leave Chara alone, but sometimes desperate measures were needed, and in fact, Chara loved it when her brother was like this. She loved getting this kind of attention, whether it was hugs, kisses, nuzzles, or tickles, even if it was by force, because she knew what it meant, that he really cared about her, that he really loved her. And Frisk was no different. No matter how much she struggled and resisted, deep down, she loved it too, because she also knew what it meant.

But she could only endure so much of his theatrics, and she was at her limit. Her DETERMINATION could only get her so far, and it wasn't strong enough to resist him anymore. She cried out, desperate for someone to come to her defense.

"HAHAHAHA HAHAHELPPP!"

 **But nobody came**

Nobody lifted a finger to help her. Undyne even rebuked her plea for assistance.

"No can do, Frisk. You gotta learn to fight your own battles!"

Not at all what she wanted to hear. The assault continued, seeming as if it would never end, but at last he offered her an olive branch...

"WHAT WAS THAT!? HAD ENOUGH, FRISK!? GIVE UP YET!?"

...and Frisk desperately struggled for a breath so she could accept it.

"YEAAAHHHAHAHAHAHAHAHA OKAYYYYAHAHAHAHAH! I GIVAHAHAHAHA UAAHAHAHAH UAHAHAUPPPP!"

He wasn't so quick to let her go, however.

"Who's your best friend, Frisk!?"

A shameless stalling tactic to drag out his attack. Frisk had no choice but to indulge him.

"YOUUUUUAHAHAHA AREEEEAHAHAH!"

But he wanted more.

"Tell me I'm the best brother in the world, Frisk!"

He already knew that, she had told him as much many times before. But he wanted to hear her say it anyway, just to have an excuse to keep going.

"YOU'RE THE BEAHAHAHAHAHA BEST BROTHEAHAHAHAHER IN THE WORAHAHAHAHAHAHALD!"

The torture still wouldn't end. His fingers dug deeper into her tummy, invoking even more violent thrashing and spastic laughter from Frisk as she desperately fought to escape her brothers affectionate torment.

"Now tell me you love me, Frisk!"

Frisk couldn't take it anymore. She felt like she was about to pass out.

 _Please, make it STOP! IM BEGGING YOU!_

"TELL ME!"

"I LOAHAHAHAHA LOVE YOUUUUUAHAHAHAHAHAHA AZZZYAAAAHAHAHAHAH! PLEASEEEEEAHAHAHAHAH, MAKE IT STAHAHAHAHAHAP!"

FINALLY he granted Frisk her desperate plea for a reprieve, ceasing his merciless attack. Asriel gently pulled his hands away, rubbing her back as Frisk struggled to catch her breath. She leaned forward to get some space, taking in deep gulps of oxygen to recover, her lungs still burning from air hunger and her throat now sore from so much laughing. She began to sluggishly scrabble away...

...only for Asriel to grab her by the waist and pull her onto his lap again, binding her arms once more.

"NO, PLEASE! NO MORE, AZZY!"

But this time he simply comforted her with a big nuzzling hug and a gentle kiss on her cheek, reciprocating the affectionate gesture that he had earlier pried from her by force. She could feel her own cheeks burning with embarrassment now as all of her friends laughed at them, watching this sideshow of lunacy unfold with profound glee.

"Mwah! Love you too, sis!"

She giggled and sighed with relief. Asriel finally let go and Frisk quickly scurried away to the other side of the couch, giving herself some space from her goofy assailant. Having finally caught her breath, she reaffirmed what he had successfully forced out of her, even though he didn't even need to do so in the first place.

"How can anybody NOT love a big smelly dork like you!"

"HEY! I don't smell...that bad!"

They smiled at each other and giggled in unison. Papyrus found the whole thing adorable and made his opinions known...rather loudly.

"HUMAN FRISK AND MINI ASGORE WOULD MAKE THE CUTEST COUPLE IF THEY WEREN'T SIBLINGS, DON'T YOU THINK SANS!?"

"yep, those two knuckleheads would be perfect for each other."

Frisk still had the nerve to take a rabbit shot at Asriel in that moment, her flirty side once again taking control.

"I'm still waiting for him to give me the ring, Sans."

That comment elicited a hardy laugh from Sans, and Asriel could feel his cheeks burning again. Immediately he shot a glance at Frisk, another playful grin forming on his face.

"WHY YOU...THAT DOES IT! ROUND TWO, FRISK!"

He lunged at Frisk, pinning her to the couch again, and so began the next siege of merciless tickles from big brother Asriel.

"UUUAHAHAHAHAHAHAH NOAHAHAHAHAHA, NOT AGAHAHAHAHAAIN! AAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAH!"

The battle had only just begun.

...

The hours passed, and the transition from daylight to the eve of nightfall went largely unnoticed by everyone.

'NYEHING AROUND THE CHRISTMAS TREE!"

Papyrus putting his own spin on a classic Christmas tune as everyone else was lost in dance and good times. Asriel and Frisk were taking center stage in front of the kitchen, hands and fingers interlocked with each others, their noses touching as they nuzzled the night away. Asriel took the lead, Frisk followed. It was a repeat performance of what won them 1st place in 2029's Nose Nuzzling Contest. Asriel was a little clumsy with his massive paws and stepped on Frisks toes occasionally, but it didn't bother her.

"No wonder we lost to them. They've really got the gift, Tori."

A very proud Asgore looked on as his children impressed him with what they had learned.

"Yes, we taught them well."

Undyne and Alphys, meanwhile, were lost in their own dance, Undynes own interpretation of the Swing. Unfortunately for Alphys, Undynes twist on the classic technique was applied in a literal fashion. Undyne had Alphys by the wrists as she swung her around and around, like a soldier slinging a bola to dismount an enemy on horseback.

And with just a tiny loss in grip...

"WHOAAAAAA!"

Alphys went careening into the bookshelf, knocking it over, with every single hardcover scattering to the floor below. The vase on top came crashing down with it, leaving a pile of shattered rubble, much to Toriels immediate disappointment.

"Oh, you two! Now look what you've done!"

It was enough to break Asriel and Frisk out of their groove, casting a look of surprise over at the nerdy duo.

"Uh oh..."

Alphys pushed herself up with her scaly palms, a little stunned from the whole ordeal. Undyne was the one to blame though.

"Whoops! My bad, Tori!"

But she shrugged it off just as quickly. It wasn't irreplacable, and besides...

"Oh...it's alright, Undyne. I can fix it with magic later. Don't worry about it."

"why wait?"

With a snap of his bony fingers, Sans gathered all the broken shards into a neat pile, and a blue aura engulfed each piece as they began to connect and seal together, like a jigsaw puzzle being glued in, piece by piece. In all of ten seconds the vase was completely reformed, as if it had never been broken at all.

"Thank you, dear Sans."

"no worries. you should really get off your feet, toriel. you're always working your hands to the **bone**."

Toriel was all laughs at his pun, while Asriel and Frisk sneered in disapproval.

 _Booooooo._

 **DING!**

The cooking timer chimed from the kitchen, having run its ten-minute duration, signifying that the pies had cooled off and were ready for serving.

"Oh, sounds like dinner is ready. Let's go everyone, at the table."

"DIBS ON THE SNAILS!"

Asriel announced, much to Frisks disgust. He could have all the snails he wanted, she still wasn't touching them. Unfortunately for Papyrus...

"BUT I'M NOT HUNGRY ANYMORE, LADY ASGORE! I HAD SPAGHETTI!"

Spaghetti. On Christmas. Toriel could feel her snout contort from the stress. She was facepalming at this point, trying to keep her emotions in check as this three-ring circus continued to unfold.

 _Just a little longer..._

...

"Okay, time for presents, everyone!"

Asgore happily announced, and...well, six weirdos came scampering from the dinner table, bumping into each other as they congregated around the tree. The lights and ornaments were in full bloom as the sun had finally set, commanding the attention of everyone.

Toriel was far more reserved, casually getting up from her seat and slowly walking into the den, even taking the time to push her chair in. Since Asgore was already there, he kicked off the honors, handing out the first present.

"This one is for Sans, from Toriel."

Sans took the gift from Asgores hands and, with a noted lack of interest tore through the wrapping, exposing its contents.

It was a book.

" **'7,200 side-splitting jokes to share with friends**.'"

Toriel came up behind Sans now, bending over to meet his gaze.

"I've already memorized quite a few of them, but I know you love your jokes, especially puns. Hopefully there's some you can use in there, maybe even get Papyrus involved."

Papyrus shot that one down immediately though.

"NO, LADY ASGORE! DON'T ENCOURAGE HIM!"

He was already grinning from ear socket to ear socket.

"heheheheheh, thanks, tori. i'll put this to good use. believe it or not, paps really does have a good sense of **humer**. he'll be a **bone** ified comedian once i'm done with him."

Toriel found herself bending over the couch laughing, while Papyrus was red in the cheekbones and sneering at both of them.

"NYEHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! YOU TWO ARE UNBELIEVEABLE!"

Even Asriel and Frisk were laughing along. The puns were growing on them.

"okay, my turn. that big one there."

Sans pointed to the large rectangular present against the wall. Asgore set it in the center of the room and gently peeled away the wrapping paper, revealing four smaller rectangular boxes stacked on top of each other. Each one was labeled.

"Let's see...this one is for Frisk...and this one is for Asriel. The other two are for us, Toriel."

Frisk was first up and tore through the wrapping like a bear digging through trash.

There was a sweater inside, and the others found a similar item in their respective gifts as well. They were all different colors and each of them had a pun written on the front, etched in gold.

Frisks was light blue with the phrase "Feeling **Frisk** y?".

Asriels was green and said " **Asriel** as it gets."

Toriels was purple with "Worlds #1 **Mom** ster."

And Asgores was pink with " **Dad** to the Bone."

Toriel was giggling like a schoolgirl and immediately planted a kiss right on Sans cheekbones, making him blush just as red as Papyrus was earlier, a bit to Asgores annoyance.

"AHHHHH, THESE ARE SO CUTE! Thank you so much, Sans!"

Even Asriel and Frisk were starting to take a liking to the puns.

"Thanks, Professor Sans! You nailed it perfectly."

Asriel nodded in agreement with Frisk, holding his sweater up as well.

"heh, no problem. i'm a pretty **punny** guy."

Papyrus felt like hitting him.

"I'M SURROUNDED BY BOONDOGGLERS!"

Asgore reached for the next present, almost equal in size.

"Alright, this one is for Toriel, from...oh, Asriel and Frisk."

They gave each other satisfied grins as Toriel gently tore away the paper with her claws.

"Oh, my!"

It was a brand new sewing kit. Toriel loved sewing and knitting, it was one of the few things that kept her active and engaged in her free time, but her old kit was pretty well worn, with most of the materials nearly spent. This one had a large and FULL stock of spools, needles, buttons, threads and yarn in all colors and sizes. It even came with a new set of knitting needles. There were enough materials in here to sew an entire department store of clothes.

"Mr Gerson helped us with this one. Said it took him a month to put together enough materials to complete it. We know your old one was pretty worn out, so we thought..."

Before Frisk could finish that thought, Toriel dropped to her knees, grabbed her and Asriel by the collars of their shirts, and pulled them into an enormous fluffy hug, with nuzzles and kisses for all.

"Thank you you so much for this, children! This will keep me busy for years! You're both getting new outfits for the next semester!"

Asriel and Frisk secretly high-fived each other in satisfaction, and Toriel finally let go.

"sounds like quite the in **vest** ment. i guess toriel really does wear the **pants** in this house."

Toriel was keeling over in endless giggles again, while Papyrus looked like he was ready to off himself.

"NYEHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

The nyeh heard all around the world.

The next one to catch Asgores eye was...

"Oh, this one is for me! From Asriel and Frisk."

Asgore grabbed the wrapping and literally ripped it clean off its gift with one yank, no tears or shredded pieces.

"Oh, wow."

Inside was a new tea set, consisting of a kettle, several petit glass tea cups and plate coasters, and even an herbal press for mixing, all with a buttercup decor.

"We couldn't stand seeing you drink out of the old ones anymore. We know they're sentimental to you, but still..."

Asgore set his gift down and ruffled both of his kids hair (or tuft of fur, in Asriels case), grinning at them with squinted cheer.

"Thank you, Asriel. And thank you, Frisk. It's perfect. I almost feel like having a cup right now. I'll make a fresh batch for everyone in the morning."

As he set down his new chinaware, Asgore noticed a fairly small present nestled in the branches. Two of them in fact, one much smaller than the other. Asgore spotted it next and pulled it out.

"And these are...ooh, they're for Frisk, from Asriel."

Frisk took them from Asgores waiting hands and, starting with the larger gift, ripped the paper away in one yoink.

There was a brand new diary inside.

"Oh, cool!"

It was a hard cover, one with a solid back instead of ring binders. It had a flowery motif on the front and a blue ribbon for bookmarking. It was quite thick and came with its own personal little padlock and key. It even had a little slot for a pen on the binding. Frisk was in absolute awe at her gift. It was something she had wanted for a long time, and Asriel picked this one out just for her. The other gift as well.

"Go on, open the other one! It goes with that."

With glee, Frisk qucikly peeled away the smaller present, revealing a small rectangular case. Inside was a thick pen, black and gold, one that looked very fancy and professional. It was a perfect fit for the pen slot on the binding, complementing its colors and decor.

And her name was engraved on the golden clip.

 **Frisk**

"You always said you wanted to keep a diary of all the happy memories we've shared. Now you can!"

Frisk held both of her gifts close, swooning like a shy little girl.

"Aww, thanks Azzy! I love it! I'm gonna write every day, starting tonight!"

After an exchange of cheerful smiles, she looked over at a charmed Asgore, pointing to a present in the corner, right at the base of the tree.

"Hey Dad, can you hand me that one please?"

Asgore plucked it from its spot and handed it to Frisk, who then held it out to Asriel.

"Thanks. Here you go, Azzy."

Asriel took it from her waiting hands, quickly tearing through the paper with his tiny claws. Frisks gift took him by surprise.

"OH!"

It was a camera, but not a modern one with digital technology or filming capability. No, this one was much older, one of those flash-mounted instant cameras that ejected the photo immediately after snapping, fully loaded with two spare packs of film. It even had a time delay for setting up group photos. A collectors item, and in great condition.

And there was a brand new album packaged underneath it, with flowery motif on the cover.

"I had to search around for a while to find it, but I remembered that your old one broke and you always wanted a camera like this, one that could always capture the moment, so I..."

He was jumping up and down, unable to contain his excitement.

"AWW, THIS IS SO AWESOME! THANK YOU SO MUCH FRISK!"

And this was the perfect moment to capture.

"Gather around the tree, everyone! Family photo time!"

It didn't take long for the entire gang to converge around the christmas tree, the shortest ones in front (Frisk, Sans and Alphys), the taller ones in back, with Papyrus and Undyne on the left, and Toriel and Asgore on the right. Sans had his hands in his pockets.

"come on, asriel. put a little **backbone** into it."

Alphys was as shy as ever.

"H-he's gonna catch my b-b-bad side."

Papyrus and Undyne were leaning over Sans and Alphys hogging the spotlight, trying to nudge each other out of the picture.

"MOVE OVER, UNDYNE!"

"You're cruisin for a bruisin, Papybutt!"

Another nudge.

"AT LEAST I DON'T LOOK LIKE ROADKILL!"

Instantly Undyne caught Papyrus in a headlock and gave him a massive noogie.

"THAT DOES IT! IT'S TIME FOR AN ASS WHOOPING, BONEHEAD! FUHUHUHUHUHU!"

And Toriel and Asgore were holding hands with shy smiles all around.

"I hope our friends never change, honey."

"Me too, dear."

Finally Asriel as satisfied with the arrangement and the angle and calls for a freeze.

"Perfect, just like that!"

Setting the camera on the couchside table, he set the timer for 15 seconds, engaged the countdown and quickly scrambled to Frisks side.

"SMILE, EVERYONE!"

He put an arm around her and nuzzled her cheek, she put an arm around him and nuzzled his (her pen and diary locked in the grip of her other arm), and Toriel and Asgore stood behind them proudly, their friends alongside them as the timer ticked down to zero.

 **SNAP**

A bright flash, a loud click, and a brand new photo was dispensed from the business end of the camera. The first for the album, and what a shot it was. Asriel took hold of it and fanned it out, letting it come into clarity.

"Mom, you should enlarge and frame this one before I put it in the album."

"Absolutely, Asriel. It will look perfect above the fireplace."

And then followed a chorus of giggles and jolly cheer by all, as the night rolled on.

...

"Take care everyone! Have a safe trip home, and Merry Christmas!"

"yup, merry christmas guys."

"MERRY CHRISTMAS, ASGORE AND LADY ASGORE! AND TO YOU AS WELL, MINI ASGORE AND HUMAN FRISK!"

"It'll be a lot merrier once Alphys and I open our presents and turn on some Mew Mew Kissy Kitty! FUHUHUHUHU!"

"YOU READ MY MIND, UNDYNE!"

Alphys had the last word as the door closed behind her, and only the Dreemurrs remained.

"Oh, that was a wonderful party. It was so nice having everyone together."

That it was. Two and a half years since their exodus from the Underground, and nobody had changed at all. And Frisk wouldn't have it any other way.

Unfortunately...

"Well, everyone except..."

Someone was still missing. Someone who deserved to be there just as much as anyone else.

Asriel flashed a look of concern to a now distraught Toriel.

"Mom?"

She could feel a tear roll down her cheek, catching her by surprise. Quickly she turned to brush it away, hoping nobody had seen it. But they did.

"Oh, dear me. I'm sorry, I just..."

She turned to Asriel now, looking right at him. But not at **him**.

At **her**.

"...oh, Chara. I know you're still there, I know you can hear me, I just...I miss you so much Chara. It's just not the same without you. I'd give anything to have you back, to hold you in my arms just one more time..."

Now the tears started in full, and Toriel could do nothing to stop them.

"I-I'm sorry, everyone. I need...I need some time alone."

She turned and scampered up the stairs, nearly tripping over herself as she made the ascent.

"Toriel, wait..."

A concerned Asgore followed close behind, hoping to console her. Frisk and Asriel were alone now, both clearly worried.

"Mom...Dad..."

Frisk muttered under her breath, while Asriel hung his head low.

"I never really got over it either, Frisk. I still miss her too. Every day."

They sighed to themselves, not at all sure what to do.

 **But somebody came**

"Huh?"

Once more his chest shined with that same soft, scarlet light. And a second later, her voice called out to Asriel from within.

"...Are you sure, Chara?"

Frisk stared at him now, fully aware of what was going on.

"...okay. I understand."

"What did she say?"

Without hesitation, Asriel grabbed Frisks hand and started walking upstairs, pulling Frisk with him.

"I'll let her tell you herself, Frisk."

A beaming smile suddenly manifested across Frisks face. Asriel didn't need to say anything else.

She knew what was about to happen.

...

Toriel had her face buried in Asgores chest, her long snout digging into the sensitive fur extruding from underneath his pink sweater. Even now it was a horrendous struggle for them, dealing with the grief of a dead child. They had one child back and a new one to care for, but they still thought about the one who never came back. They thought about Chara, every single day.

"I know, Toriel. I miss her too, but we just have to..."

"Mom?"

Asriel called out as he pushed the door open. Toriel turned to answer her sons call.

"Yes, I'm sorry Asriel. I didn't mean to walk out on you like that. I'm...I'm okay now."

That was a lie and everybody knew it, but what else could she do? Asriel and Frisk turned to one another now, and Frisk already knew what to do. She walked up to her parents now to set the stage.

"Mom, Dad...there's someone who wants to talk to you."

They looked at each other with immediate confusion.

"Someone at the door?"

Asgore responded. Not that he wasn't intelligent, but he was slow to catch on to some things.

"No...I'll let Asriel tell you. Or, rather..."

Frisk turned to Asriel once more and beckoned him over, who nodded in response.

"Okay...I don't know how this is going to work, but this is what she's telling me to do."

Toriel immediately shot Asriel an expression of surprise.

"She?"

Asriel held out his open hand towards his family now.

"Everyone, give me your hand."

Not sure of what was happening, Frisk reached for Asriels furry hand with her own, placing it on top of his. Asgore followed suit next, his much larger hand completely engulfing both of theirs. Finally Toriel put her hand on top of his.

Then, Asriel put his other hand on top of all of theirs. They were all connected now.

"Now...close your eyes."

...

They opened their eyes again.

Darkness engulfed them. Everywhere they looked, nothing but an empty void. Left, right, up and down, it was pitch black. Yet they could see each other perfectly.

"Where are we?"

Toriel spoke out, scanning her surroundings. It didn't feel physical, it was more like a dream, like an out of body experience. Astral Projection, or something like that. They looked at each other, Frisk, Asgore, and Toriel, not at all sure what to make of the current situation.

And then...

"Hi Mom..."

A voice, one that was oh so familiar, but not heard in many, many years.

Toriel looked down at Asriel now, where the voice was coming from.

Only...Asriel wasn't there. In his place was a human child, a girl, equal in size to Frisk. Said girl was wearing a striped green sweater, brown pants and small boots, much like the clothes "she" wore back in the day. She was facing away from them at first.

And then "she" turned around.

"C-CHARA!?"

Toriel shouted, hardly able to believe what she was witnessing. It was Chara. The bobbed hair, the rosy cheeks, the wide staring eyes. Every detail was spot on, and she looked exactly as she did in the days long ago, only a little older.

Asgore was equally blown away, now on his knees, while Frisk stood and watched in stunned silence.

"CHARA, YOU'RE HERE! YOU'RE REALLY HERE!"

She stepped forward now, putting a consoling hand on Toriels cheek. Toriel raised her own hand to meet Charas, feeling her warm touch.

"I'm here, Mom. I've always been here."

Asgore knelt down now, gently taking Charas other hand into his own, feeling her warm touch for himself.

"Oh, Chara! My dearest...we've missed you so much!"

She turned her gaze to him now, a little hesitant to do so.

"Hi, Dad..."

Frisk approached her now, unable to contain her joy in the moment.

"I've wanted to meet you for so long, Chara."

She nodded.

"Me too, Frisk."

Toriel looked around now, observing a very important detail that Asgore and Frisk were currently oblivious to.

"Wait a minute, where's Asriel!"

" **I'm right here, Mom!** "

A soft white glow flashed from Charas chest at that moment, and not even a second later a SOUL floated outward, hovering mere inches over her cupped hands. It was white and looked like an inverted heart, pulsing with pure energy. It was a monsters SOUL. Asriels SOUL.

" **Don't worry, I'm perfectly fine. Chara needs my body to be able to do this.** "

"I didn't even know if you wanted to see me, after everything I've done. But when I saw you earlier, the sadness in your eyes...I just had to talk to you."

Toriel wrapped her fingers around Charas hand and squeezed gently, cupping it with her other hand.

"Oh, Chara..."

Chara looked like she was about to cry, hanging her head in shame, but she didn't allow herself to. Not yet. She had to be strong now.

"Mom...I'm so sorry."

Toriel looked confused now.

"Sorry for what? I don't understand..."

The sobbing was starting to take command, but Chara forced herself to quash it. Not now.

"Everything that happened...it's my fault. It's because of me and my selfish actions that you lost us both that day...it's because of me that you and Dad suffered for so long."

She turned to Asgore now.

"Dad, that time you got really sick, it was because of me. I poisoned you, and I laughed it off at the time, and I...oh, GOD!"

She was on the verge of a hysterical breakdown now.

"I'M SO SORRY! What Asriel did, going to the surface...none of it was on him. He did it for me, because I asked him to...and he...h-he..."

" **No, Chara! We did it together. Don't take the blame for me!** "

"No! I made you do it, Azzy! It IS my fault, and you should all hate me for it! You all opened your hearts and your home to me, and I...I caused you all so much pain. I've done such horrible things, and I..."

Toriel shook her head.

"That doesn't matter anymore, Chara! That was then and this is now! You're still our daughter, and we still love you!"

"B-but..."

Asgore spoke up now.

"It's okay, Chara. We've all done horrible things. You're not alone in that. And we've all dealt with our sins in own ways...at least, we've tried to."

Toriel and Frisk nodded.

"Yes. Even I'm guilty of something terrible. Some of what has happened may have been prevented had I not run away like a coward. You are NOT alone in this, Chara. And no matter what you've done, we forgive you!"

Chara couldn't believe what she was hearing. After all the bad, they still didn't hate her.

"But none of the things you all did would have ever happened if not for me!"

" **Like I said, Chara, I was NEVER upset at you. No matter what, I still love you, and I always will!"**

Asriel called out.

"And so do we."

Asgore said proudly, Toriel and Frisk nodding in agreement. Chara was sobbing still, but her facial expression had changed, no longer a trace of regret on her face, as if she had finally achieved the absolution she sought for so long.

"Y-you guys...you're all wonderful."

She turned to Frisk now, taking hold of her hands.

"Frisk...I don't even know where to begin. I...I really meant it when I said that you were something special. You've done so much for everyone, and you haven't asked for a single thing in return."

Frisk smiled in response.

"But...I have to know, Frisk. Why? What drives you to be the person you are? What drove you to save Asriel...to save US? I just...I have to know."

Frisk had to think long and hard about it, and it was in no way an easy question to answer, but she tried her best, reflecting on how it all began.

"It started with the first reset. Before we left for the surface, I went to see Asriel, at the Ruins. I don't even know why I went, I didn't know he would be there. I just felt something pulling me, drawing me to that place. Where I met him the first time. And there he was again."

She hung her head low.

"We talked. He wanted to be left alone at first, but I refused. I kept him company, for as long as he would allow me to. He started telling me things, what you and he did, how he had finally come to terms with his sins, even if it meant he would lose everything in the process. He called me a f...a f-f-friend, and he told me that I was going to do a great job out there."

Frisk felt tears welling up in her eyes, but she quashed it before it had a chance to start, the weeping. Not now.

"When I told him to come to the surface with me, to see his parents, he refused, not wanting to put them through any more pain. I didn't know what to do. I didn't want to leave him. I wanted to drag him back to the surface by force, so he could see his parents, so they could see HIM, but...I just couldn't do it. I understood why he felt the way he did, and why he refused. And so...I left him behind."

She looked skyward now, into the inky void above.

"We were all free. We started new lives on the surface, and for a while, things were good, at least for most of us. I lived with Mom, and everyone else went on to explore the world above. Everyone was happy. Except...except me. Every day I would stare at that mountain, sometimes for hours on end, and my thoughts were always drifting on Asriel, how lonely he must have felt. How miserable he must have been. All I could think about was him. I didn't eat, I barely slept, and everyone was so worried about me."

She closed her eyes, clutching at her locket.

"And then I decided one day that it wasn't good enough. I couldn't just leave him there. I couldn't live like this, knowing I had left someone behind. There had to be another way, something I had missed, or so I thought. And so, as much as it hurt me to do it, I reset EVERYTHING. I stripped everyone of their happy ending. And before I knew it, I was in the Ruins again. And nobody remembered anything, even Flo...even Asriel."

" **Frisk...** "

Asriel called out to Frisk, trying to console her, but it was of little comfort. Even now the truth was hard to stomach for her.

"I did it all again. I saved everyone, made friends, confronted Asriel, broke the barrier, and free'd everyone again. But nothing had changed. I went to see Asriel again, but it was all the same. He was still doomed to turn back into a flower, and I couldn't do anything for him. But damned if I was going to give up so easily, so I reset again. And again, and again, and again. Ten, twenty, fifty, a hundred runs. Eventually I stopped counting, because I didn't see the point anymore. I kept searching, kept looking for a way to save him, some little detail that I overlooked, some answer to the riddle I sought to solve. It was all that drove me, all that I thought about, helping him. I was no longer holding on to the hopes and dreams of everyone...I was holding on to the hopes and dreams of a single person, my friend."

A long, drawn out sigh followed a pause in the speech.

"But...it wasn't working. Every single attempt was met with crushing failure. The situation was desperate going on hopeless, and at some point I began to question what I was doing. I don't even know why I had that power in the first place, but eventually I began to hate myself, playing God with the lives of so many innocent people, all because I wanted to save someone who I wasn't even sure WANTED to be saved."

"Frisk..."

Chara muttered under her breath, feeling Frisks pain, the desire to want to help someone no matter the cost. It was something Chara understood all too well, even if their methods differed. Toriel and Asgore shared in their daughters pain, but they said nothing. Frisk needed this opportunity to clear the air. They both did.

"But before every reset, I would go back to the Ruins to visit Asriel. Spend a little more time with him on each visit. Get to know him a little better. We would tell each other things, we made promises, shared laughs, smiles, hugs, until he no longer felt like a stranger to me. He became the closest person in my life, my best friend, someone who I would do anything for, give anything for."

And Frisk finally opened her eyes again, meeting with Charas gaze once more.

"And then it dawned on me, clear as day. It was so obvious, right under my nose the whole time, and I never even noticed. Asriel needed a SOUL, because every time he cracked the barrier, he released all the SOULs he had absorbed, giving them back to everyone, leaving himself with nothing. He needed a SOUL, and I had one to give. And by that point I had lived this journey so many times, all the happy memories, the laughs, the joy of making so many friends, that it wasn't even a difficult decision for me anymore. I was terrified of course, faced with what was essentially a death sentence, but I didn't care. Asriel was more important to me, and my ending wasn't going to be happy unless Asriel got to share in it, unless he got a happy ending too. And so..."

" **F-Frisk...** "

Asriel was touched by Frisks words, even if nobody could see it at that moment. Frisk reversed grip now, taking Charas hands into her own.

"Chara...I think I understand you now. Why you did what you did. It was because...because you loved your brother. Because you loved Mom and Dad. And I did what I did for the same exact reason. Because I love my brother, my parents. Because I wanted to see them happy, no matter what the cost."

Chara looked ashamed now.

"But you never hurt anybody, Frisk. I did..."

Frisk shook her head.

"That's not true. I DID hurt everybody. Every time I reset, I savagely ripped away everyones happy ending, forcing them to relive those horrible 24 hours as I desperately sought a way to save the person I cared about most. And when I finally had my answer and made my choice, I knew how much it was going to hurt everybody when it was all said and done. But I still did it anyway, because Asriel means that much to me."

She stared Chara straight in the eye now, like a warped reflection staring back at itself.

"But...I had a guardian angel all along, didn't I? You saved ME...US."

Chara was smiling now.

"You deserved to have that happy ending, Frisk. You all did."

Frisk smiled back in return, feeling a tear roll down her cheek.

"So do you, Chara. You deserve to be here as much as Asriel. I...I just wish I could have found a way to save YOU too."

Chara could feel a tear rolling down her cheek now, and she touched a hand to her heart.

"But you DID save me, Frisk! Until you came along, I was so angry, so bitter. I had terrible ambitions planned for the day that I would finally be free from my 'prison.' I was going to use you to destroy humanity. At one point I even wanted to destroy the world. I wanted to raze it to cinders and dance on the ashes. My hate was so powerful back then, and it was all my own doing. I was a terrible person in life, and until you came along, in death as well. I had cut myself off from those feelings because I didn't want to HURT anymore."

She touched her other hand to Frisks heart now.

"But then I met you. My polar opposite. Through every act of MERCY and every friend you made, I began to feel something, little by little. I learned how to care, how to love, and then I embraced the pain that came with it. I embraced it because I knew...it was REAL. You SAVED me, Frisk! You reunited me with my beloved brother, with my parents, and here we are. I feel no hatred or anger anymore, I feel...loved."

Frisk cupped her hand over Charas now.

"Chara..."

She blinked, and fresh tears streamed down Charas rosy cheeks.

"Thank you, Frisk. From the bottom of my heart, thank you. You truly are a wonderful person, and Azzy and I are blessed to have a friend...no, a sister like you. I'm really glad that I finally got to meet you, and I will always be grateful for what you have done."

And Toriel agreed.

"So will I. Thank you, my child."

And Asgore.

"Thank you, my daughter."

And Asriel too.

" **Thank you, sis, for being there for us when we needed you the most.** "

Frisk was completely floored at this point. She had to turn for a brief second to knob away her watering eyes.

"Cmon guys...you're gonna make me cry again."

Smiles and giggles were shared by all, but a soft white glow engulfed Chara in that moment. And then...

"Well, the link is fading. Looks like it's time to go again..."

Everyone became distraught immediately, and Toriel made it known.

"What!? NO! YOU CAN'T GO! YOU CAN'T LEAVE US AGAIN, CHARA! STAY WITH US! PLEASE!"

Toriel couldn't have been more wrong. She was still on her knees, sobbing and shaking, trying desperately to get a grip on herself.

And Chara was there to help. She took one of Toriels massive furred hands and cupped it with both of hers.

"Mom, I'm not leaving you. I didn't leave you then, and I'm not leaving you now. I've always been here, and I always will be."

"B-but..."

Chara looked completely content now, and a beaming grin took command of her face in that moment.

"I feel EVERY hug that you give to Asriel, every kiss, every nuzzle. I feel everything he does. When he laughs, I laugh. When he cries, I cry. When he smiles, I smile. He is me, as much as I am him."

Chara raised Toriels lone hand up to her cheek now to feel her warmth. It was real.

"I've been with you all along, and I always will be. And I'm happier then I've ever been, getting to spend every day with all of you, every moment with him. I really am. But...but I can't do it if I know that all of YOU are unhappy. So please..."

"C-Chara..."

Even Asgore could barely speak now, the sobbing forcibly taking control from him. There's nothing worse for a parent than losing their child, and they've both gone through it twice already. And here they were, faced with that same situation again.

Only...they weren't. They weren't losing anyone, and Toriel finally realized it now.

"You...you're really not leaving us, Chara?"

She shook her head.

"I'm just...I'm just going for a little nap. And when I wake up, we can see each other again!"

"Y-you promise!?"

"I promise, Mom!"

Toriel put both hands to Charas cheeks now, gave her a loving kiss on the forehead, and with lightning speed, pulled Chara into the biggest hug she could give, the fabric of her robes sleeves nearly swallowing Chara whole. It wasn't the last hug that she would feel, but it was definitely the best one. The best one by far. And a second later Asgore joined in. And then Frisk.

They were as one now.

"We love you so much, Chara! We'll see you soon, okay?"

"VERY soon! I love you too, Mom! All of you!"

...

The darkness faded.

They were all standing in the bedroom again, still embracing one another, except it was now Asriel whom was enveloped in his mothers arms. Chara was not there anymore.

Except...she WAS there. And everybody knew it now.

"T-thank you, Chara! You've made me so happy!"

Asriel called out to her now, his voice completely muffled from his faced being pressed into her robes.

"You'll see her again soon, Mom! Don't worry!"

She hugged him even tighter.

"I know. And I love YOU, Asriel!

And a second later her other arm lashed out, pulling Frisk into the crushing embrace.

"And I love YOU too, Frisk!"

Tighter and tighter, with Asgore joining in behind them.

"My babies are all here now. My beloved children."

They must have stayed like this for at least five minutes, trying to get a grip on themselves again, but when they finally pulled away, Toriel was no longer distraught. She was elated.

"How about we all watch a movie together. As a family."

Asriel and Frisk were all for that idea.

"Sounds great, Mom!"

Asgore had the dessert covered.

"I'll make chocolate pudding for everyone!"

"Charas favorite!"

Asriel proclaimed, knowing her better than anyone. With one of their hands in each of hers, Toriel lead the way.

"Come on, kids!"

...

The movie had run its course, 'How the Temmies stole Christmas,' and only a black void was projected from the bulky flatscreen now. There were half eaten bowls of chocolate pudding on the coffee table, alongside a much bigger bowl and ladle, and Asriels snout was completely caked with sugary mud.

"Oh, Asriel. If you keep eating so much you'll get fat like Dad!"

Toriel said, poking fun at Asgore simultaneously. Asriel licked his lips, cleaning the pudding off his muzzle.

"Hey, I'm eating for two, don't forget!"

Frisk nodded.

"Yeah, and besides, he could use a little fat anyway. He's so skinny."

Asriel giggled. That he was. Asgore was a pretty heavy guy, and Toriel was only slightly overweight, but Asriel was young, fit, and lean. Maybe he'd fill out as he got older, or maybe he'd always be like this. Who knew? And who cared, anyway?

"Okay, bedtime kids!"

Toriel said, hitting the power button on the remote. Asgore stretched his arms now, having fallen asleep halfway through the movie. The fireplace was slowly dying out now, casting its fading glow into the living room, combining with the decor on the christmas tree to give off just enough light to softly illuminate the den.

Asriel wasn't quite ready for bed though.

"Could we stay up a little while longer, Mom? Just until the fire goes out? Please?"

She seemed reluctant to say yes, but it was Christmas after all, so...

"Well...alright kids. Just this once. I'll go start some laundry and get the beds ready."

With a smile and a wink, she turned and ascended the stairs, two by two, one hand on the rail. Asgore stood now, letting out an enormous yawn, ready for the real thing. It was pretty surreal for Asriel and Frisk, seeing him in such good spirits again, but they relished it. Having had so much time and support to sort through his demons, Asgore was doing much better these days, having finally been able to put the past behind him with the help of his wife and children.

And now that Chara had made an appearance and helped to put his mind at ease, he truly felt like a lot of weight was off of his shoulders, like he could breathe again. He would never forget what he did, but he doesn't punish himself so much for it anymore, and after a heartfelt reunion with his beloved daughter Chara, even if it was only in spirit and only for a few moments, now he felt like he was truly able to let go of his grief. Things could only get better for him now.

"I'm turning in as well. Good night, kids! Merry Christmas!"

They responded in unison, Asriel now speaking for two people.

"Good night, Dad!"

He turned and ascended the stairs as well, retiring to his... **their** room for the night.

"They're both doing so much better now."

He put a hand to his heart, gripping his locket tight.

"Thank you, Chara. They really needed that."

Frisk agreed, albeit with a tone of disappointment, and a hint of shame.

"Yeah..."

And Asriel picked up on it immediately.

"Frisk?"

She sighed to herself, unable to even bring herself to look at her brother.

"Frisk...what's wrong?"

She couldn't take it anymore.

"I...I'm sorry, Azzy. What happened earlier with Mom..."

He was confused.

"What are you talking about, Frisk?"

After a moment of silence and self-reflection, Frisk carefully stood from the couch and walked over to the christmas tree, looking down at the remaining presents that had not yet been opened. Two of these were from her, a pair of small jewelry boxes, the same ones that their heart lockets came packaged in, and she picked them up and held them out towards Asriel, who was on his feet now as well.

"Here...I was going to save these for tomorrow, but..."

He carefully walked over to Frisk and took both gift boxes from her much smaller hands. The ribbons on top of them were marked and colored to separate them. The yellow one read:

 **To: Azzy**

 **From: Frisk**

While the red one:

 **To: Chara**

 **From: Frisk**

"To...Chara? Wait, that means..."

She nodded, sighing to herself.

"Yeah. I asked Mom to help me with these, and when I told her one of them was for Chara, I saw the look on her face, and..."

Now he understood what she meant.

"...it's all my fault. I know she feels better now, having had a chance to finally talk with Chara after so long, but...what happened earlier...it's because I..."

And he interrupted her mid-sentence to quash any notion of what was now plaguing her.

"No, Frisk! Mom has missed Chara every day since...she never got over it, Frisk. Neither did Dad. It's NOT your fault."

But Frisk started crying anyway.

"I know, I just...I'm sorry, Azzy. I didn't mean to cause all this pain. I didn't mean for it to happen this way. By rights I shouldn't even be alive right now. It's Chara who deserves to be here, not me."

Immediately he dropped both gift boxes and put both hands on her shoulders, giving her a firm shake.

"Don't say that, Frisk! That's not true!"

"Yes it is, Azzy. The only reason I'm even here is because she..."

He couldn't say anything in response because...well, she was right. It WAS the only reason Frisk was still here, because Chara took her place as the sacrificial lamb, giving Asriel her own SOUL in Frisks place to SAVE him...to SAVE them.

"Frisk..."

She was beside herself now, feeling like everything up to this point was her fault.

That couldn't be farther from the truth, though.

"I just...I'm **so sorry**. This was...I didn't want it to be this way. I mean, I'm **so** happy that I'm here, with you, and Mom and Dad and all my friends, but..."

He had a growing suspicion about what Frisk was getting at now.

"...it's just...I know how much she meant to you, and to Mom and Dad. I know how much you loved her, and I...the last thing I wanted to do was to interfere with that, to become a replacement for her. Until tonight, that's what I felt like, that I was just some replica of Chara for all of you to cling to, and I...even though she's still here with us, even though we can still talk to her, it's just not the same, and...and I'd trade places with her in an instant if I could, just so the rest of you wouldn't have to miss her anymore."

She had her hands cupped over her eyes at this point, the sobbing becoming almost uncontrollable. It was horrible admitting all of this to the person she cared about the most, and she felt completely ashamed of herself, always causing pain to others no matter how hard she tried to help them.

But Asriel was having none of it. He knelt down in front of Frisk now, on both knees, to meet her gaze (what with him dwarfing her by at least 10 inches). Then he grabbed her hand with both of his, giving it a gentle squeeze. Asriel stepped up as the big brother now and gave his sister exactly what she needed.

The truth.

"Frisk...you're wrong. That was never the case. I NEVER saw you as a replacement for Chara, and neither did Mom or Dad. It's MY fault, to be honest, because I once confused you for her, and it was part of why all this happened in the first place!"

"Azzy, no, that's not..."

"Please, Frisk. Let me say what I need to say."

He could feel his eyes welling up in that moment, as he struggled to confront something that had apparently been bothering him for a long time.

"Chara...she's my best friend and I miss her more than anything, and I would give almost anything to have her back, but...but not if it meant losing **YOU** in the process. I would never choose one over the other, and she wouldn't want me to either, because...because **YOU'RE** my best friend too, Frisk!"

He touched a hand to his heart now, closing it around his locket, his other hand still gripping hers tight.

"Do you really think we'd be better off if the shoe were on the other foot, if Chara were here instead of you? Sure, I'd be happy to have her back, and so would Mom and Dad, but then we'd be missing YOU in her stead. Don't you see, Frisk? Mom would've been in the same exact position she was in earlier, grieving for YOU instead...and Chara would feel just as bad about it as you do right now. You trading places with her wouldn't make things any better."

She wiped her nose with her sleeve, knobbing away her tears as she desperately tried to get a grip on herself.

"But..."

He didn't even give her self doubt a chance to take command again.

"It's okay, Frisk. Chara WANTED it to be this way. We wouldn't even BE here without you, Frisk. We'd both be lost in the darkness, alone and miserable, if not for you. You **SAVED** us. You brought us ALL **together** again. You made this all possible, and you're very dear to all of us, not because you remind us of Chara, but because of who YOU are, Frisk. Because of the wonderful person **YOU** are."

Again Asriel grabbed both of her hands and clasped them together with his own, one on top, one underneath. His furry hands were much bigger than hers and swallowed them from sight completely. Frisk stared into his brilliant green irises, his piercing gaze completely commanding her attention now, and what he said next drove away any shred of doubt that might have been poisoning Frisks mind in that moment.

"So please, Frisk...please, don't ever put yourself down like that. What Mom and Dad were going through until tonight...hell, what **I** was going through until tonight, NONE of it was your fault. And you're NOT just some replica of Chara, some shelftop replacement to fill the void she left behind. You never were. You are, and always will be, Frisk Dreemurr. You will always be my beloved baby sister, the proud daughter of Toriel and Asgore Dreemurr, and the most wonderful friend _anyone_ could ever ask for."

And in an instant, all her fears and her self depreciation having been washed away, just like that. Asriel always knew just what to say to warm Frisks heart and lift her spirits in times of need. It was a gift that they shared in common, being able to bring joy to everyone around them, no matter how down in the dumps they might have been before.

"A-a-azzy..."

And he could tell right away.

"Come on, Frisk. Don't make me resort to 'Round 3.' Smile for me...please?"

He tilted his head slightly and wiggled his fingers with a playful grin, letting her know that he meant business, but there was no need. He had already gotten through to her. Her sobbing magnified exponentially in that moment, but for different reasons now. She was overjoyed beyond words now, and every last bit of her body language gave testament to that fact. She flashed him what was probably the best smile he had ever seen, grinning from ear to ear, not a trace of sorrow on her face anymore, even as the tears kept rolling down her cheeks.

"That's more like it!"

She giggled to herself, trying her best to get her emotions under control. She knew she couldn't take another round of tickles from Asriel if he did resort to 'desperate measures,' but thankfully he didn't need to.

"You've rubbed off on me too much, Azzy. I'm more of a c-crybaby than you are now. Look at m-me, I'm a m-m-mess."

He giggled in response as well, because it was the truth. She WAS the crybaby of the family now. In fact, their contrasting personalities had rubbed off on each other quite a lot, with Asriel being far more confident and self-respecting of himself than he was in the past. Her face was worn and weathered from all the sobbing, and her sweater had gone slightly damp from the tears as well.

But Asriel didn't care one bit. Still on his knees, he held out his arms towards Frisk and fanned his clawed fingers inwards, beckoning her in for a hug.

"C'mere, sis..."

And after a moments hesitation of shy swaying, she took it, clinging her scrawny arms around his neck as his own furry arms closed in around her, squeezing her so tightly that any tears she may have had left were wrung from her eyes by force. The Legendary Hugmaster was on the scene now, and he had all to give for Frisk.

"You mean the world to me Frisk, to ALL of us, and I love you with all my heart. I mean that, Frisk. I'd be lost without you..."

The joy that Frisk felt in that moment made her wonder why she ever doubted herself at all, and she reciprocated Asriels heartfelt sentiments immediately. She felt the same way. She'd be lost without Asriel, without her family.

"M-me too, Azzy. I love you too...ALL of you."

They stayed like this for a minute or two before finally pulling away from each other, smiling at one another.

"I hope Mom doesn't see me like this. She might worry."

Asriel picked up his gift box once more, while Frisk knelt down to collect the one meant for Chara.

"Go ahead, open it."

He did so, pulling on the yellow string that bound it shut. He lifted the top lid to see what was waiting for him.

There was a handmade charm inside.

"What's this?"

He delicately took it out of the box, holding it up to inspect it. It was shaped like a star, yellow in color, made of stained glass and silver lining, with a Delta Rune etched in the center. It had a small chain of seashells attached to it, ending with a gold letter, an A.

"I made them myself. I got the idea for it from a game that I read about on the internet. It's called a 'Wayfinder.' It's a charm that represents an unbreakable connection between friends and loved ones. It's said to bring the owner good luck and, supposedly, if a person ever gets lost, all one has to do is hold it up to the light, and it will show them the way home."

Asriel inspected it closer, noting something familiar about it. He had seen some part of it before.

"Wait a minute. These shells...these are the ones you collected when we went to the beach."

She nodded.

"Mmhmm. I had to save up a bit of allowance to afford the rest of the materials, but I'm pretty happy with how they came out."

Looking at Frisk for a brief second, he set his charm down and opened the one designated to Chara. There was a similar charm inside, the only difference being that this one was red in color, and the gold letter attached to the end was a C.

As soon as he took it out of its box, it started glowing. And so did his.

"Huh? Why are they glowing?"

Frisk took the red charm from his hand and held it up against the yellow one.

"That's why I needed Moms help. I asked her to enchant them with magic. They glow when in proximity to one another, and the closer they get to each other, the stronger the resonance between them. I don't know about the finding our way home part, but...we can always find our way back to each other at least..."

Then she dug into her pocket at that moment and pulled out a THIRD charm, a blue one, with a golden F at the end. And it started glowing too.

"See? Now we can always find each other, no matter how far apart we are. I was even thinking about making one for Mom and Dad, so we could all be connected no matter where we go, and then..."

He flashed Frisk a warm smile and felt a tear roll down his cheek.

"Frisk...these are wonderful. You really outdid yourself."

Asriel held his and Charas charms side by side, and Frisk held her own charm next to theirs. They were now resonating as one.

"I love it, Frisk. And Chara does too. Thank you so much for this. We'll treasure them, always."

And suddenly he was struck with inspiration.

"In fact, I know just what to do with them, right now!"

Immediately he rose to his feet and inspected the christmas tree in front of him, scoping it out for an open space that wasn't being hogged by ornaments. They had over-decorated the tree and there was no room anywhere on its branchy surface, so he made some, removing a few of the ornaments in the center and re-hanging them on the branches above, until there was sufficient space in the middle.

"Give me your charm, Frisk."

With a cheery grin on her face she handed it to him, and carefully he hung each one on a free branch in the center of the tree, Asriels yellow one on the left, Charas red one on the right, and Frisks blue one right in the middle, their letters hanging down in unison, **A F C**. They were shimmering as one now, giving off a silvery glow that was both soft and bright at the same time, completely commanding their undivided attention.

"Now we're all together. And when we take the tree down, we can hang them over the family photo in our room, so we always know where they are. And we can take them with us whenever we leave the house to go somewhere."

Frisk stood by his side now and clasped her hands together in awe, marveled by her brothers thoughtful suggestion.

"It's perfect, bro."

They stared in dumb amazement at the tree, their charms harmoniously resonating as one. Their hands met with each others now, fingers interlocking, Asriels claws harmlessly digging into the sensitive flesh of Frisks knuckles.

"Hey, Azzy..."

"Yeah?"

"Do you...think these days will last forever?"

A strange question, coming from Frisk, but Asriel had a good answer for it.

"I wish, but...nothing lasts forever, Frisk. But what matters is that we make the most of the time we have together, right?"

She agreed, although her skepticism was still there.

"Yeah, but...are you REALLY happy with the way things are?"

He didn't even need to think about that one.

"I have two of the most amazing friends a guy could ask for, so...yeah. I am happy. So is Chara. And I know Mom and Dad are too. Our family is **whole** again."

He grabbed her other hand, clasping both of them together again.

"And...Chara once told me that she always wanted a sister. So..."

Frisk could feel her eyes welling up again, but she didn't hesitate with a response.

"Well, she's got one now."

Asriel already knew it.

"Yep! A wonderful, flirty twin with squinty eyes and a dumb fashion sense!"

Mocking the scarf. Even so, Frisk wasn't offended, and in fact felt like the luckiest kid in the world in that moment.

"Haha, s-stop! You're gonna make me cry again."

He had an answer to that too.

"That's okay, you can use my fur if you need a tissue."

Frisk laughed at that comment as the sobs renewed once more, clutching her heart locket with both hands.

"T-thanks, bro. Thanks for always being t-there for m-m-me."

Asriel dropped to his knees again and, with heartfelt cheer, pulled her into another warm hug, rocking her back and forth, gently squeezing her like one of his teddy bears.

" _Always_ , sis."

She rested her chin on his shoulder, and her bobbed hair softly tickled his droopy ear as her own arms reached around him as far as they would go.

"I...I don't want to let go, Azzy."

And he reciprocated, letting her know that once more, there was no escape from the Legendary Hugmaster.

"I'm never letting go, Frisk. _Never_."

And they held each other firm and snug as they lost themselves in the moment, the warm contact of two inseparable friends embracing one another, on this most joyous of nights. He rested his own head over her other shoulder and closed his eyes as his own tears rolled forth, sliding down her back and onto the floor below.

"Merry Christmas, Azzy. Merry Christmas, Chara."

And as the embers in the fireplace burst and cast their dying glow over the living room, Asriel spoke out for both of them, grateful for the life he had today, thankful that he had such wonderful friends...and that they all had each other.

"Merry Christmas, Frisk."


	14. Extra 3 - The First RESET

Authors note:

A bit of insight into the events that led to the endless cycle of RESETS in the quest to SAVE Asriel, taking place between Chapters 3 and 4.

...

...

...

The door to the Ruins was heavy and did not give easily. Tired as she was from the events that led her here, it was a struggle just for Frisk to muster enough strength to pull the door open. It gave way, but very slowly, inch by inch, and the snow obstructing it didn't help at all. But finally Frisk had pulled it open just enough to squeeze through, and it closed far more easily than it gave, shutting out the frigid chill with it.

Back in the Ruins. More specifically, the basement of Toriels house. The Ruins themselves were only a short walk away, up some stairs and through the front door. And then...

 _Not much farther now._

She started walking, hands in her pockets, impersonating her friend Sans. Frisk had taken on shades of virtue from all of her friends in their time together, a little piece from each of them.

Undyne...

 **Bravery**

Alphys...

 **Integrity**

Sans...

 **Patience**

Papyrus...

 **Perserverence**

Toriel...

 **Kindness**

Asgore...

 **Justice**

They molded and combined to form something unique, something that now defined Frisks personality, her core. They were a part of her, as much as she was a part of them.

And she took something away from her time with Asriel too, something that he thought himself incapable of until he met Frisk. Something that was with her all along, but was now so much stronger because of him.

 **Love**

All through the endless resets, it gave Frisk the courage to push on in the hardest times, it gave her the resolve to not give up in the face of impossible odds, the will to always do right by others, and in the moments when it mattered most, it filled her with...

 **DETERMINATION**

The corner turned, and Frisk turned with it. It was a straight shot now, a long walk to reach the stairs leading up to Toriels house, and Frisk found herself lost in thought, drifting through the recesses of her mind as she marched down the interminable hallway. The precious memories that she shared with her friends, the hardships she faced through her tireless journey, and the events that led her to this moment. How it all happened, and why.

The first **RESET**.

...

 _ **"STOPPPPPPPPP!"**_

 _ **Frisk shouted as she darted forward, dagger in hand. The blade was prone, her arm tensed, and in her anger...**_

 _ **FIGHT**_

 _ **"URGH!"**_

 _ **Asgores HP reduced to 1**_

 _ **Bergentruckung, King under the Mountain, dropped to one knee, kneeling in defeat.**_

 _ **"...I see. So that is how it is."**_

 _ **"Asgore..."**_

 _ **His trident fell from his grip and clattered to the ground. His eyes were heavy and he was exhausted, bloody and beaten from the chaotic battle with his small adversary. A memory clouded his vision in that moment.**_

 _ **"...I remember the day my son died..."**_

 _ **Frisk said nothing, frozen in place.**_

 _ **"...the day my children died. Losing my dearest Chara...it was like my very heart had been torn out of my chest. But fate thought that wasn't enough. My son died too, and I felt as if I had lost everything, as if I had nothing left in the world. Once more, everything I held dear had been taken away by the humans."**_

 _ **She still said nothing.**_

 _ **"In my anger, I declared war on humanity. I vowed that I would destroy any human that came to the Underground, and I would use their SOULs to destroy the barrier imprisoning us and set our people free. With that power, I would then wipe out all of humanity from the surface, so we could live peacefully in the world above."**_

 _ **She was like stone.**_

 _ **"My wife, however, became disgusted with my actions, and she left me. I never saw her again. She was all that I had left, and now I've lost even that."**_

 _ **Asgore raised his head now to meet Frisks gaze. His eyes were tear-laden and he was beginning to choke on his sobs.**_

 _ **"The truth is...I never wanted to h-hurt anybody. I was weak, and I did terrible things in my anger. But...this charade has gone on long enough. I can't live like this anymore. I don't want power. I never wanted power. I just want to see my wife again. I just want to see my c-children again..."**_

 _ **He lowered his head again, resigned to his fate, ready for it to all be over.**_

 _ **"Young one, please. You have the power to end this. Finish me off. Take my SOUL, leave this cursed place, and be happy in the world above."**_

 _ **Frisk finally took a step forward now, and then another, and another, until she was face to face with the weakened Asgore. He made no move, no effort to defend himself.**_

 _ **She held the worn dagger out in front of her, pointing it right at Asgores face. He lowered his head and closed his eyes, waiting, ready for the stinging kiss of death to free him from his torment and send him into the next world, whatever and wherever that was.**_

 _ **"It's okay. Do it...please."**_

 _ **She raised the weapon above her head, ready to strike. She had come all this way, braved countless dangers and horrifying situations, desperately clinging to life so she could find her way out, and the only obstacle that stood in her way now was the fallen king before her.**_

 _ **Her arm tensed, and the blade was prone, ready to come down on Asgores head and end his life.**_

 _ **But at the last second, when victory and freedom were within her grasp...**_

 _ **"...no."**_

 _ **MERCY**_

 _ **She lowered her arm, her grip on the dagger loosening until it fell from her hand, clattering to the floor below, merely inches away from the pronged end of Asgores trident.**_

 _ **"...I won't."**_

 _ **It took Asgore a few seconds to realize that he was still alive, and he finally raised his head, meeting with Frisks gaze once more.**_

 _ **"...After everything I've done to you, everything I've put you through...you still won't kill me?"**_

 _ **He lowered his head again, reminding her of what that meant.**_

 _ **"But you'll be trapped down here forever, young one..."**_

 _ **Freedom meant nothing to her if she had to violate every principle she held dear to achieve it, and her strength of character shined strong and true in this moment.**_

 _ **"I don't care what happens to me, Asgore. I won't kill you. I could never hurt you...any of you. If I have to spend the rest of my life down here because of that, then so be it. I can live with that. But I can't live with taking someones life, no matter whose or why. I won't kill you, Asgore. I REFUSE to."**_

 _ **His eyes met with hers again. Shock and disbelief overwhelmed him in that moment, completely beyond words that this one human, his sworn enemy, someone whom he had just tried to murder in cold blood, was sparing him after all that he had done to her, willing to give up any chance of happiness or freedom in the process.**_

 _ **"You remind me so much of my son, young child. He was just like you, always putting others before himself. Chara was everything to him. He loved her like a sister, and he would have done anything for her. He...he would have loved you too, young one. You and he would have been great friends..."**_

 _ **With pride and dignity, Asgore rose to his feet, doing his best to ignore his injuries.**_

 _ **"Young one...I know that we do not have much, but I swear to you, for as long as you are here, we will do our best to take care of you. We will do everything we can to give you a happy life."**_

 _ **Frisk found herself shedding the faintest smile at the thought of what Asgore was now preaching.**_

 _ **"We could watch old movies all day, eating ice cream until we blow up. We could sing songs and read bedtime stories and...and we could be like a...a real family."**_

 _ **And Frisk thought to herself that wouldn't be so bad. She could be happy down here. She could live with that...**_

 _ **"But..."**_

 _ **...but he couldn't.**_

 _ **He broke his gaze with Frisk again, his face contorting into an expression of sorrow and despair, the likes of which Frisk had never seen. So much pain. So much grief.**_

 _ **"But we both know that can never happen. There is no going back for me. There is no redemption for what I've done."**_

 _ **Asgore bent over now, still weakened from his injuries, and clumsily claimed his trident off the floor. At first Frisk thought she was going to have to do battle again, and she took a step back, bracing herself for what she was expecting to follow.**_

 _ **But instead Asgore reversed the grip on his trident, pointing it towards himself.**_

 _ **And all of a sudden Frisk realized...**_

 _ **"No...NO!"**_

 _ **He held the trident out in front of him now, the pronged end aimed squarely at his chest.**_

 _ **"Thank you, young one, for being so kind to me. For showing me that humans are not all bad. For being a...a friend...but without my wife, without my children...I have nothing."**_

 _ **Before Frisk could react...**_

 _ **"Goodbye, young one."**_

 _ **He stabbed inward, the pointy prongs of his trident piercing his armor, digging several inches into his chest. Frisk ran forward to try and stop him, but it was far too late.**_

 _ **A peaceful look of contention fell on Asgores face in the last seconds of his life as his body began to disintegrate, fading away, bit by bit, until there was nothing left but a pile of dust. His SOUL hovered in the air for a few seconds, a white heart pulsing with energy.**_

 _ **And then it cracked and shattered.**_

 _ **And then there was nothing.**_

 _ **"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"**_

...

 _"NOOOOO!"_

 _Frisk screamed, choking on her breath as she leaned forward, forcing herself awake. Her breathing was heavy and labored, her senses on pins and needles as she struggled to get her nerves under control. Another restless night plagued with bad dreams._

 _"Not again..."_

 _She turned and looked at the clock._

 _ **2:14 AM**_

 _The door swung open._

 _"FRISK!?"_

 _An immensely worried Toriel barged in, throwing herself at Frisks bedside. She felt a very large furred hand touch her cheek._

 _"Are you alright, child?"_

 _She nodded, not wanting to worry the elder Boss Monster._

 _"Just a bad dream."_

 _It wasn't working though, because..._

 _"That's the third one this week, Frisk. Are you sure you're okay?"_

 _She wasn't, and she knew it, but she couldn't tell Toriel what was REALLY bothering her. It would resurface extremely painful memories._

 _"I'm okay Toriel, really. Just..."_

 _So instead..._

 _"Toriel...why do you hate Asgore so much?"_

 _A deflection, and a rather immediate one at that. Certainly not the kind of question Toriel was expecting to hear._

 _"What!? What makes you think that I 'hate' him?"_

 _That was much easier to respond to._

 _"The way you treated him before we all left the Underground..."_

 _Toriel gave a heavy sigh as bad memories of another kind began to bubble up to the surface. Not what Frisk was trying to avoid, but painful all the same._

 _"It's not that I 'hate' him, Frisk. Hate is a very powerful word, and I don't hate anybody. But Asgore...it's complicated. He has...done things, Frisk. Things that I cannot forgive him for, no matter how hard I try."_

 _Frisk already knew what she was talking about. The six fallen children before her. How Asgore, stricken with grief, took their lives in his campaign against the humans. Even if, ultimately, it was for the good of his people, it was something that Toriel could not forgive him for, even now._

 _But Toriel knew nothing about the experiments Asgore commissioned unto Dr. Alphys regarding the means of monster resurrection and immortality, the events that led to the creation of Flowey...the reincarnation of Asriel. She wondered how Toriel would react if she knew the whole story behind what he had done._

 _"And he tried to hurt you, Frisk. He tried to kill you. Even if you forgave him, even if you and he are friends now, it is not something I can overlook. I don't hate him...I still love him, in fact, despite what he has done. But I cannot forgive him for it, nor can I allow myself to be with him. I just can't...it's too painful."_

 _Frisk didn't need to hear anymore. It was something all too similar to what Asriel said, though regarding himself, not those dearest to him._

 _"I...I understand, Toriel. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to upset you."_

 _She shook her head. Frisk was not comfortable addressing Toriel as Mom yet, and Toriel was okay with that. She wasn't at all sure that she was ready for such an enormous burden either, the task of raising another child. Not when it had gone so bad before, losing the two most precious people to her in the world. But though their relationship was a cautious one at this stage, Toriel did truly care for Frisk, and hoped that one day they would grow closer, when they were both ready for it. If only she knew._

 _"It's okay, Frisk. I'm not upset. To be honest, I feel a little better, telling you the truth about us. I was holding it in for too long, and if anyone deserves to know the truth about us, it's you."_

 _She brushed Frisks bobbed hair aside, staring into each others eyes for one long moment before giving Frisk a kiss on the forehead._

 _"Try and get some sleep, Frisk. I'll make waffles in the morning."_

 _"Okay. Good night Toriel."_

 _"Good night Frisk."_

 _She flicked the light off and closed the door, leaving Frisk to her thoughts again. She lay there in bed, tossing and turning, desperate for her mind to quiet down so she could fall asleep again._

 _But no sleep would come to her that night._

 _..._

 _Toriel and Frisk lived in an isolated cottage roughly 10 miles from Mount Ebott. While their legs could only carry them so far, the memories of that place haunted Toriel and she wanted to be as far away from it as feasibly possible. The years of being a recluse had an influence on this decision, and she herself was hesitant about mingling with humans at such a tense juncture, which was part of the reason why they moved to such a secluded area._

 _The monsters, while happy that they had their freedom, were highly skeptical of the humans, knowing that they had once been imprisoned by them simply for being different, and knew it was going to take some time to be accepted among their kind without prejudice. Frisk turned down Asgores request to be their Ambassador, not because she didn't want the job, but because she didn't feel she was the right person for it. She knew nothing about politics, human relations, or anything else about the world above, even though she herself was a human and came from somewhere in the overworld. But there was a reason for that, and it was one that Frisk still struggled to cope with._

 _But at the moment she had bigger things to worry about. Like all her friends, like the monsters she migrated with, Frisk had no idea what to do or where to go, and it was going to be a lions challenge to find her way and settle in to things. Initially she thought about going her separate ways, trying to find her own path, but though the urge to leave was a strong one, she recalled the final promise she made to Asriel, to "take care of Mom and Dad", and it was enough to make her want to stay. Toriel seemed a bit reluctant at first, hesitant about the prospect of raising another child, but she had grown fond of Frisk in their short time together and, feeling like she was being given another chance, she took the young child under her wing. They walked down the summit hand in hand, searching for a new life, a place to call home._

 _Things were good for a while. Everyone went their own way, exploring the world above. Asgore went from county to county, negotiating peaceful agreements with the humans, trying to make good with the humans and put monsters in a better light. Alphys and Undyne really hit it off, spending nearly every day at the beach, cherishing every moment together. Sans and Papyrus simply wanted to explore, to see what life on the surface was all about. They traveled a lot, riding side by side in Papyrus's red convertible and Sans's tricycle (with Papyrus always losing the race, somehow), and after nearly a month had practically seen everything the overworld had to offer._

 _Most of them stayed in touch with one another, and while Toriel didn't want Asgore to be anywhere near her, he was still a friend of Frisks after all was said and done, and she allowed him to visit. Though Toriel was always weary of him and closely watched over Frisk in his presence, the two of them did indeed grow a little closer in their time together, and Toriel softened up to him a little bit. They still weren't anything remotely close to friends, but she was able to at least be civil with him._

 _Not a perfect ending, but things were good for the most part. Amost everybody was happy. Almost everybody had closure, in one way or another._

 _Except for Frisk. And it wasn't something that was immediately obvious._

 _It built over time, little by little with each passing day. An oily, nagging feeling of guilt, remorse, and sympathy, all directed at the one person she was unable to SAVE, the one person she had left behind. The young Prince Asriel Dreemurr, the little dorky furball that sacrificed everything, his only chance at happiness, to ensure the happiness of Frisk and those he held most dear, relegating himself to a fate worse than death in doing so._

 _At first it was just a passing feeling, something that nudged at Frisk every so often but never stuck around. It might divert her attention for a second or two, but she would quickly shake it off and go about her business. Little by little that horrible feeling grew, became stronger, more oppressive, the longer it had to fester. It began to occupy her thoughts more and more, and she soon found herself staring at Mount Ebott from their house, her bedroom window, the backyard, more and more often, sometimes hours at a time._

 _The days became weeks, and eventually that nagging feeling of regret and shame turned to full-blown depression. Asriel was all she could think about. How she left him behind, how lonely he was, how awful it must have been, not being able to feel anything, not love, not happiness, not anything. Toriel didn't pick up on it immediately, but little by little it began to show, the toll it was taking on Frisk. She barely spoke anymore, she never smiled, always distracted, sometimes completely catatonic to the world around her._

 _The depression became so severe that it began to have a physical effect on Frisk. Most nights she didn't sleep at all, and the nights that she did sleep through were plagued with bad dreams. She became lethargic, always drained of energy. She had lost all motivation for enjoying the daily things she used to love doing. She often had no appetite, even once going as long as three days without eating a single bite. It began to show in a rather grim way, the loss of weight (and Frisk was already quite thin to begin with), the dark sagging rings under her eyes, and her loss of interest in just about everything. All she could think about was him. All she could see in her head was him. It was an obsession of the most unhealthy sort, but one that Frisk could not pry herself away from, one that she felt responsible for, for 'failing' him. Everyone else got their happy ending, but not him._

 _"Asriel..."_

 _She sat, staring at the sun as it began to set behind Mount Ebott, casting its dying glow over the all-encompassing landscape. It was another long day of gutwrenching despair for Frisk, another day of many hours staring at the mountain. Another day of stress-inducing worry for Toriel, as she struggled to understand what was wrong with Frisk, why she seemed to be this way._

 _But this time..._

 _"...I have to go see him."_

 _Frisk finally decided. She couldn't take it anymore. She had to see for herself what was going on with him, if her concerns were justified._

 _"First thing in the morning."_

 _..._

 _The night passed slowly, a long sleepless one, with Frisk constantly glancing at the clock and out the window, her despair-filled mind never giving her a moments reprieve._

 _ **4:56 AM**_

 _She was up, not even with a stretch or a yawn, just an aimless shamble out of bed. She threw on her blue long-sleeve, some shorts and her boots, and not even two minutes later she was out the door, with only some crackers and a couple of water bottles in her napsack. On her bike (a gift from Sans), peddling towards the mountain. She was tired, sluggish, and barely had enough energy to make the trip one way, let alone all the way back, but she pushed on through sheer DETERMINATION, the burning desire to see her friend again, regardless of what was to come. The sun was just barely cresting the horizon, giving her enough light to find her way._

 _An hour and a half later, she had reached her destination, the rocky path at the foot of Mount Ebott. A few minutes of hiking up the trail followed, something that wore on Frisk even worse than the bike riding. Climbing up hill is always harder than climbing down, but Frisk paced herself and pushed through it._

 _And before she knew it, she was staring at the entrance into the mountain, the barrier no longer impeding anything from leaving. Her breathing was heavy and labored from exhausiton, her knuckles white from chronic fear and anxiety, not at all sure what she was expecting to see._

 _She went inside._

 _The morning light shone deep into the hallway, almost hitting the wall at the far end. A few hundreds yards in and Frisk had passed by the grassy patch where she had encountered Flowey for the last time, when he..._

 _...the throne room was just ahead. It was going to be a long walk to the place where she was going, the Ruins where she had fallen the first time, where she expected Asriel...Flowey, to be waiting, living out what little remnant of a life he had left, if you could even call it that. She didn't know how she was going to make it all the way there and back, her exhaustion building to the point where she could barely walk anymore, but nonetheless, she pressed on. The next hallway was in sight._

 _But suddenly..._

 _"Why are you here?"_

 _A voice from behind, one that was all too familiar. Frisk spun around to see._

 _There was now a lone flower sprouted in the grassy patch she had just walked past. It was turned away from her so she couldn't see it from the front, but..._

 _"You shouldn't have come back, Frisk."_

 _It turned, its gaze meeting with Frisk. The difference was immediately recognizable, even after all this time. That face, no longer displaying an apathetic grin. No longer a sinister smile hiding devious intentions or horrifying philosophies of the world. Just...emptiness. But familiar all the same._

 _It was_ _ **him**_ _._

 _"Asriel...It's you. I've missed you."_

 _To say that was a severe understatement, but it wasn't a lie. Flowey gave its 'head' just the slightest tilt, immediately breaking eye contact with Frisk._

 _"Asriel is gone...I'm all that remains of him now."_

 _Frisk staunchly refused that answer, seeing right through the facade. He was Flowey again, but she could tell...there was SOMETHING there. A flicker, faint, but undeniable. He had indeed lost most of who he was, but not all of it._

 _"That's not true. I know you're still in there, Asriel."_

 _She believed that with every fiber of his being, and he gave just the slightest flinch in response. He paid it no mind though, instead reiterating an earlier question._

 _"Why did you come back, Frisk?"_

 _This time she gave him an answer._

 _"I wanted to see you again, Asriel. I've missed you."_

 _Flowey was like stone. Not a grin, not even a subtle sneer. Just...nothing. But his cynicism and snarkiness was there, all the same._

 _"You missed me. What a joke."_

 _He turned away from her again._

 _"I'll bet this is hilarious to you, seeing me like this."_

 _A cheap shot, but Frisk took it in stride._

 _"Do I look like I'm laughing?"_

 _He shook his head._

 _"It doesn't matter. This is the way things are, Frisk."_

 _"Asriel..."_

 _She took a few steps forward now, slowly, tentatively, until she was within arms reach of Flowey. She knelt down to his level and put a hand to his 'face', turning his gaze to hers again._

 _"I want you to come with me."_

 _He just stared at her for one long, pregnant moment, perhaps trying to process what he just heard her say, if he really heard it. It made him bitter._

 _"Are you stupid or something!? Go back with you!? Like this!?"_

 _He stared down at his roots sticking out of the grass._

 _"Look at me, Frisk. I'm disgusting. I'm hideous. I'm NOTHING. I have NOTHING. I feel NOTHING. Do you really think my parents would want to see me like this? Do you think they'd forgive me for all the horrible things I've done?"_

 _She did._

 _"I think they love you and would want to see you no matter what."_

 _A new expression took shape on Floweys face, one that was immediately recognizable, because Frisk had seen it once before, right after Asriel had cracked the barrier._

 _Fear._

 _"I can't go back like this, Frisk...I can't just come back into their lives like this. It would be torture to them, to see what I've become. It's better if they just forget I ever existed."_

 _Frisk was defiant though._

 _"This is wrong, Asriel! You don't deserve this! There HAS to be a way!"_

 _But he gave that thought no chance to grow on him._

 _"Oh, really? Do you have seven human SOULS for me to conjure another body, Frisk? Are you willing to go out and murder seven people just to SAVE me?"_

 _She turned away from him._

 _"That's what I thought...and I wouldn't want you to anyway."_

 _"BUT..."_

 _Despite Frisks best efforts to comfort him, all she ended up doing was causing him more pain. He hung his head low again, faced with overwhelming grief and despair. There was no other way, and he knew it. Deep down, she did too._

 _"It's too late, Frisk. I don't have a SOUL anymore. Maybe if I did, I would have been able to maintain my body, but it's too late now. I've already turned back into a flower, and I can't RESET anymore. That power belongs to you now. But I wouldn't do it even if knew I still had that power. I don't want to hurt anyone anymore. I just want everyone else to be happy, to have what I can't. And I wish...I really wish that it didn't have to be this way, but it does. It's too late for me, Frisk. All I can do is accept it and live with what I am, with what I've done."_

 _"Asriel..."_

 _He turned away from her again and started crying, an urge that Frisk was trying to resist with every ounce of strength she had within her. She felt powerless. She felt awful. Before her stood a friend in desperate need of comfort and closure, and she could do nothing to help him._

 _"Just...go, Frisk. Please, just go."_

 _"But..."_

 _Now he started screaming._

 _"GO! JUST GO, FRISK! GET THE HELL OUT OF HERE! STOP BEING SO NICE TO ME AND JUST GO! DON'T COME BACK!"_

 _And then the tears started flowing for her, completely unabated. Not because her feelings were hurt, that was easy to shake off given Asriels situation. She was crying because she felt such soul-crushing despair that it overwhelmed every sense she had, unable to help her friend in even the slightest way. There was absolutely nothing she could do._

 _Before she knew it, she was running, sprinting as fast as her legs could carry her. Out the mountain entrance, down the trail, back to her bike, peddling home as fast as her legs could piston. She couldn't help him, and it overwhelmed her such that the only thing she could do was distance herself from the pain as best she could._

 _"Please...don't come back, Frisk. You deserve so much better...you all do. Please, just forget about me and live your life. Be happy."_

 _But there was no possibility of that whatsoever._

 _It wasn't long before Frisk found herself back home, on the front doorstep of her cottage. She threw her bike into the grass, not at all caring about damaging or staining it, and slowly marched up the porch stairs to the front door. The sun was higher in the sky now, it had to be at least 9 or 10 in the morning, and Toriel must have been worried sick at this point. That thought didn't even cross Frisks mind though until she opened the door._

 _"FRISK! THERE YOU ARE!"_

 _Toriel was standing at the window, the fur on her face visibly matted and clumped, damp from so much crying. Frisk had given her quite the scare in her absence._

 _"Toriel..."_

 _And she was angry._

 _"WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN, FRISK!? I was worried SICK!"_

 _Not for a second did Frisk entertain the notion of telling her the truth. She made a promise to Asriel...to Flowey...not to tell anyone about him, and she understood his reasons why. And damned if she was going to break that promise now._

 _"I just had to get some air, to get away from here for a little while. I'm okay though...really."_

 _But that was a flat out lie and Toriel saw right through it. She chided Frisk, hands on her hips, harshly tapping her paw on the wooden floor beneath her._

 _"No, you're NOT okay, Frisk! You haven't been okay for weeks now! Don't think I haven't noticed! You're always staring at that mountain. You almost never respond when I'm calling to you. You don't eat, you barely sleep, and you...what is going ON, Frisk!? What's wrong!? Please, tell me! Let me help you!"_

 _There was no helping Frisk with what plagued her though. So she kept pretending._

 _"I'm fine, Toriel. Really, I'm okay."_

 _"BUT..."_

 _And her anger got the better of her. Like Flowey..._

 _"I SAID I'M FINE! LEAVE ME ALONE!"_

 _And Frisk stormed off to her room, leaving Toriel completely dumbfounded where she stood. The tears began rolling again, down her face and to the floor below, splashing the fur of her paws. Her concern became overwhelming pain, and it turned to grief, and then self-loathing, fueled by the feeling of failure. Failure as a mother. Not being able to comfort your child._

 _"Frisk..."_

 _She called out as Frisk ascended the stairs, two by two. Scampering down the hall, into her room and slamming the door behind her._

 _Then she slid down against the door and started crying again, like a baby begging for its bottle._

 _It was a terrible feeling weighing down on Frisk, crushing her will in every way imaginable, physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. It was killing her, slowly and painfully, and only now did she begin to see the effect it was truly having. Her guilt, her shame, the feeling of hopelessness and uselessness, to be unable to help someone who needed it desperately. And now here she was, lashing out at everyone else, people who cared about her, people who were only concerned for her well being when she was giving every sign that she herself was hurting and needed help._

 _"Toriel...I'm sorry."_

 _Saying it to herself did nothing to make her feel better though. She knew there was only one thing to do. With no small amount of effort she rose to her feet and gently pulled open the door she had been leaning against, slipping back into the hallway. To go find Toriel, to apologize._

 _But she didn't have to go far. A voice from the living room. Toriel was on the phone with someone, and the cracked strain in her voice was a telltale sign of distress. Curious, Frisk ducked out of sight from the rail and listened in._

 _And it was pretty clear who was on the other end._

 _"She won't talk to me, Sans..."_

 _While she couldn't hear his voice or what he was saying, it wasn't so difficult to deduce based on Toriels responses._

 _"I don't know what to do. She won't talk to me, she doesn't eat anymore, she doesn't sleep, she doesn't enjoy doing anything. She's not happy. It's like she's...like she's lost the will to live."_

 _"kids get sick, toriel. i'm sure it's just a phase thing. she'll come around."_

 _"This was exactly how it was before, when Chara...oh dear God, Sans, I'm losing her! I-I...all I wanted was for her to be happy, to give her a good life, away from the madness of what happened, but now she's...she's gonna die, and I..."_

 _"calm down, toriel. she's not gonna die. she'll get through this, and so will you."_

 _Now Toriel was on her knees, sobbing uncontrollably, holding herself._

 _"OH GOD, SANS! I CAN'T LOSE ANOTHER ONE! NOT AGAIN!"_

 _"Mom..."_

 _That was the first time Frisk had genuinely referred to Toriel by that moniker._

 _In that moment, she felt as if her very heart had been torn from her chest and shoved right into her face. The soul-crushing despair Frisk had felt earlier was now weighing on her like nothing she had ever felt, as if someone had tied bags of cement to her shoulders and forced her to march through a foot of water. It was all Frisk could manage to lifelessly shuffle her way back to her room, closing the door behind her. She walked over and sat on her bed._

 _After overhearing Toriels little breakdown, it was all too obvious to Frisk now. The guilt, the depression, the anger of futility...it WAS killing her. It was like a poison, leeching the life out of her, little by little. And it wasn't just her, it was affecting those around her, those closest to her, being pushed away, having to watch as the will to live was slowly and violently sucked from Frisks very core. It wasn't long before she realized a very frightening but eye-opening truth._

 _"I...I can't keep going like this."_

 _And she knew it now. If this kept up, she was either going to be left all alone, or she was going to drop dead of depression. It was clear to her now, this was no way to live. It was eating her alive, and she had to do something about it._

 _But what?_

 _ **"I can't RESET anymore. That power belongs to you now."**_

 _Floweys words, and his voice giving them life, suddenly filled Frisks ailing mind. That power. RESET._

 _"Belongs to you now..."_

 _Not even a second later Frisk reached out her hand, towards nothing. Nothing, but at the same time...something. Something latent, buried deep within. Something she did not even know she possessed...until now._

 _And then it appeared. Two glowing panels, side by side._

 _ **TRUE RESET**_

 _ **DO NOT**_

 _An option. A chance to try again. To start over. To find an answer._

 _"But...what about everyone else?"_

 _That thought scared her even worse. Living with herself and her failure was one thing, but she couldn't forget what all of her hard work was for, to secure the happiness of everyone else. Their freedom. Their futures. What she was now contemplating would mean taking it all away from them, everything she worked so hard to achieve, for them. Their happy ending._

 _Except...was it really so happy? Maybe for Sans and Papyrus. Maybe for Alphys and Undyne. But Frisk wasn't the only one without closure. Toriel was still at arms with Asgore, their relationship in shambles with no hope of recovery, and neither one of them could ever be truly happy the way things stood. There's nothing worse for a parent then losing their child, and they never even had a chance to say goodbye, to either of them. Even after all this time, it's not something they could get over, now or ever. It would haunt them to the end of their days. Frisk knew in her heart, this couldn't be the best result._

 _"There HAS to be a better possible outcome then this..."_

 _And it was all tied to him, that better outcome. And Frisk knew that her ending, and theirs, could only be truly happy if he was a part of the picture. And that decided it for her._

 _"I have to try again."_

 _A knock on the door. It cracked open ever so slighty._

 _"Frisk?"_

 _It was Toriel, of course. The door opened all the way. She was standing there, her face a matted mess from an endless cascade of tears. Her robes were visibly damp and she looked like she had a lot more to give._

 _Frisk was like stone, not the slightest movement._

 _"Frisk...please, talk to me."_

 _She walked in and sat on the edge of the bed, within arms length of Frisk. Frisk still wouldn't turn to acknowledge her._

 _The tears started again._

 _"I...I'm sorry. I'm sorry I yelled at you. I didn't mean to..."_

 _A heavy sigh followed a tense moment of silence. Frisk wasn't budging. She wasn't saying a word._

 _"I understand, Frisk. I'll leave you be."_

 _But before Toriel could stand up and walk away, she felt a much smaller hand close over hers._

 _Frisks hand._

 _"No...I'm the one who's sorry, Mom."_

 _Saying it out loud, giving it life. She wasn't Toriel to her anymore. She was Mom._

 _"Frisk! Y-you called me Mom! I..."_

 _Now Frisk was the one crying._

 _"I'm s-sorry, Mom. I'm sorry for treating you the way I did. I'm sorry for worrying you so much. It's nothing that you did, nothing that you said. It's me."_

 _Toriel inquired further, trying to comprehend the situation._

 _"Frisk?"_

 _"I left someone behind, Mom. When we left the mountain over a month ago. A friend. A very dear friend. And I felt so bad that I went back to see him this morning, hoping to bring him back with me.. But he...he..."_

 _The sobbing intensified. Frisk was dangerously close to breaking that promise she had made to Asriel in their final moments together. She caught it just in time, and instead drew the spotlight back to her._

 _"I-I'm a terrible person. I've treated you so badly when all you've ever done is try to give me a better life. You deserve so much better than that, Mom. I'm s-s-s..."_

 _Immediately Toriel dropped to her knees and pulled Frisk into a spine-crushing hug, one full of motherly love and warmth. Frisk rested her head on Toriels shoulder and took it all in. She held Frisk as tight as she was able to without hurting the fragile child, one hand cupping the back of her head, rocking her back and forth ever so gently._

 _"It's okay, Frisk. It has been hard on all of us. I'm just worried. I just want to know that you're okay, Frisk..."_

 _That she could answer truthfully...at least from a certain point of view._

 _"I'll be okay, Mom.. I just have to do something. Something very important."_

 _"What's that, Frisk?"_

 _And the two panels were in front of Frisk again, behind Toriel, who could not see them._

 _ **TRUE RESET**_

 _ **DO NOT**_

 _There was no turning back once she made her decision, and she would have to be committed, to be willing to go all the way once she carried it out, but she knew that if she was going to do it, it was now or never. She couldn't go another day like this._

 _She took a deep breath, quashing her sobs long enough to regain emotional control._

 _She was ready._

 _"I love you, Mom."_

 _Toriel responded in kind immediately._

 _"I love you too, Frisk."_

 _And she reached out and touched it._

 _ **TRUE RESET**_

 _A whirlwind of chaos ensued. Everything began to spin. Her peripheral vision became a clouded mess, obscurred by the blur of motion._

 _And then everything went dark._

...

 _It was bright._

 _"W...where am I?"_

 _Sunlight beamed directly onto Frisks face as she opened her eyes, and she was forced to shut them again, the glare too strong for her to stare into. Eyes closed, she sat up, pushing herself up with the palms of her hands, feeling the spongy dampness of soil beneath her. And something else too._

 _She looked around._

 _She was lying in a flower bed. A flower bed in a rocky cavern. Above her was a hole. THE hole._

 _"I...I'm back in the Ruins?"_

 _She stood, and she was amazed by the relative ease that she had in doing so. She was no longer sporting her ailments from the previous timeline. The regret, the guilt and the shame was there, but in a very minute amount now. No lethargy, no fatigue, no pain, no tiredness, no lack of apetite. She felt normal again, at least in a relative sense._

 _And not even a second later she heard a voice._

 _"Howdy!"_

 _One oh so familiar, but one that shouldn't be. She stood and turned around._

 _It was_ _ **him**_ _._

 _"I'm Flowey! Flowey the flower!"_

 _She was back. Everything was as it was before, as if nothing had ever happened, and nobody remembered anything. Not even him._

 _A clean slate._

 _ **A chance to try again.**_

...

"The stairs."

Frisk had finally reached the end of the hallway, stopping at the foot of the stairs leading into Toriels house. She was still lost in thought, reflecting on the events that led up to this moment.

That was how this farce all began. The cycle of endless resets in the search for a way to save the young Prince Dreemurr from his horrible fate, an eternity of isolation and loneliness, a self imposed exile to the now-deserted Underground, unable to feel anything for anyone ever again. She might die once or twice along the way, but it would only impede her progress for a few moments. Her power to SAVE and RESET ruled supreme in the Underground, gave her what was effectively 'Immortality', more or less, and eventually she would reach the climax of her journey and secure everyones freedom once more.

But it was all the same. An eternity of torment and exile in Asriels future, with no possible way to SAVE him, no way to bring him back. It was no better than before.

But knowing that she had the power to try again hardened her resolve, and Frisk was not going to give up so easily. And so she tried again.

And again.

And again.

And again.

And again.

One reset became ten. Ten resets became a hundred. A hundred became hundreds, and so on. A seemingly infinite cycle of resets, all fueled by nothing more than Frisks own DETERMINATION, her hopes and dreams, her desire to SAVE the life of someone she cared for dearly.

But no matter how many times Frisk tried, no matter how much effort she gave, the climax of each attempt, the bittersweet reunion with her friend...it always ended in heartbreak.

 **"I...I have to go, Frisk."**

A few moments of tearful bonding, and then...

 **"Frisk...don't you have anything better to do?"**

Every.

 **"I can't go back, okay!?"**

Single.

 **"I just can't!"**

Time.

"Asriel..."

At some point the monotony of the situation began to plague Frisks mind, wondering what she was really hoping to accomplish, what the point of it all was, when every single attempt was met with utter failure. A new kind of guilt began to weigh down on Frisk, as if someone had anchored empty buckets on her shoulders and slowly filled them with water, a little at a time. Stripping the happy ending she worked so hard for away from her dearest friends, again and again and again. Irresponsibly wielding the power she commanded over time and space, the ability to wipe everyones memories and **RESET** the timeline, to start anew.

That was bad enough, having to confront the horror of what she was doing to those she held most dear. But what was worse for her was that it all seemed to be going nowhere. It was proving fruitless. Endless hours and hundreds, possibly even thousands of runs into this charade now, and the end result was always the same.

But why? Why wasn't it working? Was this really the way things were? Was it asking too much? To **SAVE** just one more person? Fate is cruel, as most people know. It can give you everything you ever desired, but with the same hand it can take everything away from you. Frisk felt like quite the sucker by this point, as if the Gods themselves were dangling a carrot in her face, a piece of tantalizing bait for Frisk to follow, only to remain forever out of reach. 'Come little fishy, see my hook,' as the saying goes. Frisk began to hate everything. She began to hate her power, and worse, she began to hate HERSELF, having come so far, done so much, caused so much suffering to those closest to her, even if they didn't remember any of it. Only for it to amount to nothing.

But there was more to it then that. Something WAS missing. Even with all the doubt strangling Frisks resolve, there WAS something there. A detail. Something she had overlooked. And she knew as much. It nagged at her, never for a second giving her a reprieve. In fact, it was right under her nose, so close she could taste it. But it was too close, and this kept her from seeing it for what it was.

And at the end of one such run, she began to explore that question. Standing just outside of the Ruins entrance, after another visit with Asriel. Beating her frail fists on the rocky walls in futility. Another failed attempt. But why?

...

 _"Why, Asriel?"_

 _She asked herself._

 _"Why can't I_ _ **SAVE**_ _you?"_

 _Not expecting any sort of answer to be forthcoming._

 _"What am I missing? What more can I possibly do?"_

 _It was always the same. Asriel would apologize, destroy the barrier, restore everyone, and leave. It was the same every time. But why?_

 _"What do I have that he doesn't?"_

 _What was keeping him here? What was dooming him to turn back into Flowey? It..._

 _"WAIT A MINUTE..."_

 _As soon as her mind caught the tail end of that thought, she could suddenly hear Asriels voice in her head, giving her memories weight and force._

 _"He..."_

 _Destroying the barrier, restoring everyone, and then..._

 _"Without a_ _ **SOUL**_ _of my own, I can't keep maintaining this form."_

 _It finally dawned on her._

 _"Without a_ _ **SOUL**_ _of my own..."_

 _What she had been missing all along._

 _"...a_ _ **SOUL**_ _of my own..."_

 _The answer she had been looking for._

 _"...a_ _ **SOUL**_ _..."_

 _"...a SOUL! He needs a SOUL!"_

 _Just like that. It was amazing how well hatred and self pity served to clarify matters. A SOUL. It was so simple, right under her nose the whole time, and she suddenly wondered, kicking herself, why she didn't see it before? A SOUL. Of course. Every time he had cracked the barrier, he returned the SOULs he had absorbed from everyone back to their rightful owners, but in doing so left himself with nothing. Hollow, empty, with nothing to cling to. Nothing for his body to hold itself together. He needed a SOUL. That was the answer. Suddenly, finally, EVERYTHING made sense._

 _Except...did it? If what Frisk assumed was really the case, then it only left her with a new riddle, a new problem to solve. Asriel needed a SOUL, that much was clear to her now, but..._

 _"But what can I do about it?"_

 _Indeed. Asriels own SOUL was long gone, being that a monsters SOUL, even one as powerful as a Boss Monsters SOUL, can only persist outside of its body for so long, meant it could not possibly have survived all this time. Short of going back in time, Frisk knew of no way to restore or recover Asriels original SOUL. Therefore, he needed a replacement. It didn't seem that farfetched to conceive, a replacement for his SOUL, given that his body was technically a replacement too, a powerful magical replica of the original, with all of his memories and feelings intact. So Frisk went with that._

 _A number of possibilities ran through Frisks mind in that moment, but almost all of them proved unworkable, or unfathomable for Frisk to even consider. She could do another run, kill someone and take their SOUL to give to Asriel, but as soon as the idea even crossed her mind, it morally repulsed her. She knew she could never bring herself to do such a thing, not ever, so that was out._

 _She could ask Asriel to keep one SOUL for himself after cracking the barrier, but that would be unfair to whomever was unlucky enough to be the victim of that solution, and Asriel would never go for it. He could keep one of the six fallen childrens SOULs for himself, since they were already dead and their SOULs had no body to go back to, but again, Asriel would never even consider doing such a thing, given what those children had already been through, trapped in their 'prisons' for so long._

 _And of course someone could give their soul WILLINGLY to Asriel, but that seemed unlikely as well. Had it been Toriel or Asgore, Frisk was certain that they'd give up their SOULs for him without any hesitation. There's nothing that a parent wouldn't do for their child, if they truly loved them. But that would involve breaking her promise, and that was something she just couldn't do._

 _Even if she did, Asriel still probably wouldn't go for it. Even if someone offered him a SOUL willingly, he loathed himself and his actions so much that he would, in all likelihood, turn it away, feeling like he didn't deserve it. Not without a hell of a lot of convincing, at least. And besides Toriel and Asgore, nobody even knew who Asriel was, certainly not Undyne or Papyrus. Sans and Alphys were privy to his existence to some degree, but they were out of the question too. So there was no one left to make this scenario workable._

 _No one except..._

 _"...then it has to be_ _ **ME**_ _."_

 _The reality of what Frisk had just deduced did not set in immediately. Indeed, what she had just concluded was, for lack of a better word, suicide. It seemed inconceivable, the idea of giving up her own SOUL for someone she barely knew, especially considering that she had no idea whether or not it would even work._

 _And yet, Frisk didn't write it off immediately. After all, had she NOT braved countless situations in which death was not only a strong possibility, but even a certainty in some cases? While it would have been a truth difficult to stomach for anyone else, Frisk had died more than a few times to get here and slowly learned of her power as it happened, her ability to SAVE, to try again. It was only through Flowey that she learned just how deep her power ran, but she still knew about it to some degree long before he said anything, through innumerable deaths in overcoming what seemed like impossible odds at the time. Undyne the Undying, Mettaton, the showdown with Asgore and quite a few at the hands of Asriel himself, when she finally understood that she had the power to refuse DEATH itself. Dying was not something that Frisk was unfamilar with, and the only real difference this time was that, if she actually played this scenario out, Frisk would be giving up her life WILLINGLY, rather than having it forcibly taken from her._

 _And Asriel was no longer a stranger to her. Over the countless resets, she had spent an unfathomable amount of time with him, getting to know him. He was like a brother to her now, the closest person in her life, even if he didn't feel the same way. That wasn't his fault of course, not having recollection of the countless runs Frisk had trot through to get to where she was._

 _But if she really were to go through with this, what would that mean, in reality? What would truly happen if Frisk were to lay down her life, surrender her SOUL willingly, rather than having it stripped from her by force? Would she still be able to SAVE and RESET after it was all said and done? Would that power transfer ownership to the one who inherited her SOUL, or would it simply be lost altogether? Though she pondered what the inevitible outcome would be, the answers eluded her. She just didn't know._

 _"Asriel..."_

 _In a stunning display of bravado, perhaps not fully considering the consequences of her actions or what she stood to lose, Frisk turned about and marched back into the tunnel, back towards the flower bed. She wasn't thinking in that moment, only acting, and her courage was running exceptionally high in that moment. It did not wane as she emerged once more into the flower bed, and she was ready to put her theory to the test, to give him her SOUL, despite the prospect of certain death weighing down on her..._

 _...only Asriel wasn't there any more._

 _"Where did he go?"_

 _But he WAS there._

 _A lone flower stood out from the others, in the center of the bed. It was turned away from Frisk so she couldn't see the front of it, but its posture, its size, its detailed frame...she knew, without a doubt._

 _It was_ _ **HIM**_ _. He had already reverted back._

 _"I was too late..."_

 _While horribly distraught at yet another roadblock impeding her mission, he did not notice her presence, and she didn't give him a chance to find out. Discreetly she turned around and backtracked through the tunnel, to the entrance of the Ruins._

 _Leaning against the wall._

 _"Now what?"_

 _it wasn't a permanent impediment, Asriel reverting back into Flowey. It would simply require another reset and the need for action during the brief window in which Asriel was still in his original form. So the option was still on the table._

 _But only then did her rational mind take the wheel again, and her sudden rush of courage vacated her. Abject terror filled the void left in its place, because she now knew the truth of her situation, what the answer was, and what the ultimate cost would be if she went through with it._

 _"To_ _ **SAVE**_ _him...I have to die."_

 _And yet, Frisk suddenly found herself staring face to face with it again._

 _ **TRUE RESET**_

 _ **DO NOT**_

 _Realistically, Frisk had two options: Give up and move on with her life, or put her theory to the test and try to_ _ **SAVE**_ _him one last time. It was obvious to Frisk at this point that she would never be able to live with herself if she gave up, but now fully appreciating what the price would be if she were to follow this newfound discovery to its inevitible conclusion, Frisk found it difficult not to be afraid. She found herself shaking where she stood, terrified by the very notion of what she was contemplating carrying out, because she knew deep down, if she followed through with this, there would be no turning back._

 _A long pause in thought followed a heavy sigh from Frisk as she closed her eyes, carefully weighing her two options. The urge to give up was a very strong one, despite finally having the answer she sought, after an eternity of struggle and heartache endured to earn it. Knowing full well that she would be devoured by immense depression again, multiplied exponentially by the shame of having given up willingly._

 _But even as she stood there, her eyes closed, all she could see was "him." All she could hear in her thoughts was "him." Her friend. And there was more than just his life at stake._

 _There was the happiness of her friends to consider. What it might mean for Toriel and Asgore, if she were successful. The chance to_ _ **SAVE**_ _THEM too._

 _And she was filled with_ _ **DETERMINATION**_ _._

 _"One more time..."_

 _ **TRUE RESET**_

...

"Asriel..."

She was still standing at the foot of the stairs, staring upwards into the inky void. Her focus finally came back to her, where she was at, how close she was to the end of her journey. What she was about to do.

A distant thought suddenly popped into Frisks head, remembering what the resident monsters had said at the end of their narration of Asriels story, during her journey through New Home. A cryptic, ominous foretelling at the time, but now something that seemed fittingly appropriate for her current situation

 _ **You should be smiling too...you're going to be free.**_

It made a sick kind of sense to her now.

 _Yeah...I guess I am._

And she even let one take form on her face as she took that first step up the stairs, into Toriels house.

 _I'm going to_ _ **SAVE**_ _you, Asriel, and I'm going to bring you_ _ **home**_ _. I swear it._

Towards **him**.

 _"A single spark of courage can ignite the fires of hope."_

 **Jace Malcom - Star Wars: The Old Republic**


	15. The Sequel

Thank you for reading, everyone. Despite it being quite shoddy now that I look back at it, the response was far better than I ever could have hoped for, and it means a lot to me that the people who read this enjoyed it so much.

I've begun working on a short sequel to this story, currently in development. I had originally planned to make it a one-shot and add it to the end of Redemption as an extra, but it ended up being too long to fit reasonably into one chapter, so I've broken it up and am uploading it as a separate story. It is called Under the Midnight Hour - An Undertale Story, and it takes place ten years after the conclusion of Redemption.

If you wish to read more and want to see this story continue, you can find Under the Midnight Hour on my profile page.

Thank you.


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